Why It's Important
The Integrated Plan provides an affordable and strategic plan to enhance our community, protect water quality, and ensure long-term viability of our system. The Integrated Plan prioritizes capital improvements over a 25-year schedule to optimize wastewater treatment, maintain the integrity of our collection system, and comply with Clean Water Act requirements.
Wastewater Treatment is Essential to Johnson County
Wastewater treatment is the first defense against prevention of disease outbreaks and is essential to stream health and protection of the environment. Imagine how different your life would be if you didn’t have sanitary sewer services. In your home, the shower, kitchen sink, washing machine and toilets – all send flow to an interconnected, reliable wastewater treatment system.
Wastewater Sources (residential)
The everyday appliances we use in our homes, schools and businesses produce the wastewater that JCW collects and processes. In our homes, wastewater flows into the main sanitary sewer drain under your house, which connects to JCW’s sanitary sewer system at the edge of your property. The JCW sanitary sewer system directs all wastewater to the closest wastewater treatment facility. The volume of water used by plumbing fixtures, appliances, toilets, baths, laundry machines and dishwashers results in wastewater being 99 percent liquid.
Various Wastewater Treatments Used at JCW
Liquid and small particles
Biological Nutrient Removal Basins
Air is circulated and bacteria remove dissolved pollutants, phosphorus and nitrates.
Secondary Clarifier
Additional biosolids are separated from the liquid and piped back to the digester.
Effluent Filtration
Liquid is filtered to remove any remaining small particles.
Disinfection
Effluent is disinfected with either ultraviolet light or chlorine before being discharged to a stream or river.
Wastewater from home or business enters sanitary sewer
Primary treatment
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Grit removal: gravity pulls larger particles to the bottom
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Primary clarifier: solids are separated from water by settling to the bottom of the clarifier
Sludge (biosolids) sent to the digester
Digester
A biological process that reduces the volume of organic materials and destroys pathogenic bacteria to convert the sludge to recyclable biosolids. Also produces methane gas for energy recovery.
Dewatering
Water is removed from the digested biosolids to produce a semi-solid byproduct that is loaded into trucks.
Biosolids
Biosolids are used as a soil amendment and fertilizer for crops not destined for human consumption.
Our Residential, Industrial & Commercial Customers
In Johnson County, KS, more than 500,000 residential, industrial, and commercial customers rely on JCW for the safe collection, transport, and treatment of their wastewater. To provide top-level customer and system service, JCW continually manages, maintains, and improves a large resource network including:
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6 Major Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTFs)
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31 Pump Stations
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2,300 Miles of Gravity Sanitary Sewer Lines
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23 Miles of Low-Pressure Sewers
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42 Miles of Forcemains
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58,000 Manholes
JCW works in partnership with residential and commercial customers, the Johnson County Board of Commissioners, and county management to ensure the highest level of service. The organization’s aim is to modernize and improve JCW processes and enhance the utility's mission of:
Protecting our Environment
Serving our Customers
Enhancing our Communities
Financial Stability: Why It's Important
To learn more click here.
Interactive Map
Want to learn where projects will take place? You can use the interactive map link below to see where projects are taking place and learn more about the specifics details.
