Treatment Process

Screening and grit removal happens at the beginning of the treatment process to remove any inorganic products (trash) that cannot be broken down by bacteria. From there the raw wastewater flows into the bio-basin where bacteria break down the organic material in the water, and reduce nutrients present by the operators manipulating oxygen levels in the various zones designed into the basin. The third step is clarification where solids are allowed to settle out and are either removed to sludge holding basins or are returned the bio-basin to provide a hungry supply of bacteria to consume the organic material in the raw incoming wastewater.

The clear treated water from the clarifiers is then diverted through the ultra-violet light disinfection units and from there back to the Marmaton River, or sold as reuse water for industrial applications. The last step in the process is solids handling. These solids are the nutrient rich by-product produced during the treatment process. They are applied to farmland owned by the City, and each year the portion of this farmland that has had solids applied to it is then rented out to local farmers.

Standards & Awards

Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the EPA sets minimum standards treated wastewater and land applied solids must meet. We are required to test the treated water on a weekly basis and then send a report of these tests to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment every month.

In the many years Fort Scott's plant has been in operation it has met or in most cases far exceeded those standards. In fact Fort Scott's treatment plant won an award from the Kansas Water Environment Association for the outstanding plant in its size range for maintenance and operations. Also that year, one of its operators won the William D. Hatfield award as the outstanding operator for the State of Kansas. We are proud of our treatment plant! Operators are required to attain certifications and must meet continuing education requirements to maintain those certifications.