Clean Water Act discharge permit · NPDES NE0035025

COLUMBUS WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, Columbus, NE: NPDES NE0035025 discharge permit, effluent exceedances, inspections, penalties

Administratively continuedPermit status
MajorDischarger class
19Pollutants under a numeric limit
7Pollutants with an effluent exceedance
0Inspections on file
0Formal enforcement actions

COLUMBUS WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, held by Columbus WWTF, holds NPDES permit NE0035025, which discharges to Loup River. EPA’s file records it issued June 22, 2020 and expiring June 30, 2025.

COLUMBUS WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, Columbus, Nebraska: Individual permit NE0035025, held by Columbus WWTF; Publicly owned treatment works; Administratively continued (past its expiration date and still in force until reissued); issued June 22, 2020, term to June 30, 2025; discharges to LOUP RIVER.

Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N]: 12 limits, 19 violations of any kind, 19 effluent exceedances, latest July 31, 2015, largest 3,424% over the limit.
Solids, total suspended: 5 limits, 8 violations of any kind, 8 effluent exceedances, latest March 31, 2019, largest 342% over the limit.
BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C]: 5 limits, 8 violations of any kind, 6 effluent exceedances, latest May 31, 2005, largest 1,484% over the limit.
Oil and grease, hexane extr method: 3 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 2 effluent exceedances, latest October 31, 2007, largest 43% over the limit.
Chlorine, total residual: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 2 effluent exceedances, latest June 30, 2005, largest 230% over the limit.
pH: 3 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 1 effluent exceedance, latest April 30, 2002.
Toxicity [acute], Ceriodaphnia dubia: 3 limits, 1 violation of any kind, 1 effluent exceedance, latest December 31, 2018, largest 41% over the limit.
Arsenic, sludge tot. dry wt [as As]: 0 limits, 3 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Nitrogen, total [as N]: 2 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Phosphorus, total [as P]: 2 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Cadmium, dissolved [as Cd]: 2 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Chromium, dissolved [as Cr]: 2 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Copper, dissolved [as Cu]: 2 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Lead, dissolved [as Pb]: 2 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Nickel, dissolved [as Ni]: 2 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Zinc, dissolved [as Zn]: 2 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Selenium, sludge solid: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Nitrogen [as NO3] sludge solid: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Molybdenum, sludge, total, dry weight [as Mo]: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Zinc, sludge, total, dry weight [as Zn]: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Lead, sludge, total, dry weight [as Pb]: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Nickel, sludge, total, dry weight [as Ni]: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Nitrogen, sludge, total, dry weight [as N]: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Mercury, sludge, total, dry weight [as Hg]: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Chromium, sludge, total, dry weight [as Cr]: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Copper, sludge, total, dry weight [as Cu]: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Cadmium, sludge, total, dry weight [as Cd]: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Solids, sludge, total, dry weight: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Nitrogen, ammonia, sludge, tot dry wgt: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Flow, in conduit or thru treatment plant: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Toxicity [acute], Pimephales promelas [Fathead Minnow]: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Temperature, water deg. fahrenheit: 2 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
E. coli, MTEC-MF: 2 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Priority pollutants scan [yes/no]: 1 limit, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.

August 18, 2025: Wet-weather SSO discharge to waters of the U.S. that may endanger health or the environment (ST6).
August 14, 2024: Wet-weather SSO discharge to waters of the U.S. that may endanger health or the environment (ST6).
March 29, 2022: Wet-weather unanticipated prohibited bypass discharge to waters of the U.S. - endangerment (ST6).

Nebraska holds 254 Publicly owned treatment works coverages of this permit type in EPA’s file; 195 were issued before NE0035025.

Coverages issued nearest NE0035025

March 9, 2020: GUIDE ROCK WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, Guide Rock, NE0021601, held by Guide Rock WWTF
March 18, 2020: PAWNEE CITY WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, Pawnee City, NE0042048, held by Pawnee City WWTF
March 18, 2020: COZAD WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, Cozad, NE0112828, held by Cozad WWTF
March 20, 2020: BENEDICT WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, Benedict, NE0114944, held by Benedict WWTF
March 23, 2020: SILVER CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, Silver Creek, NE0030724, held by Silver Creek WWTF
June 29, 2020: HOMER WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, Homer, NE0025453, held by Homer WWTF
June 29, 2020: BRIDGEPORT WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, Bridgeport, NE0112119, held by Bridgeport WWTF
June 29, 2020: NEBCO, INC -DBA- SOUTH BEND LAKES, INC, South Bend, NE0123064, held by NEBCO, Inc -dba- South Bend Lakes, Inc
September 10, 2020: DENTON WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, Denton, NE0046141, held by Denton WWTF
September 28, 2020: NIOBRARA WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, Niobrara, NE0030716, held by Niobrara WWTF

COLUMBUS WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY among its neighbors

EPA’s permit file holds 2 discharge permits in the City of Columbus-Loup River subwatershed (HUC 102100090605), NE0035025 among them. Its county holds 41, 2 of them major permits; NE0035025 is a major permit.

Other permits in the City of Columbus-Loup River subwatershed (HUC 102100090605)

COLUMBUS WWTF, Columbus: NEL035025, minor permit, permit term to December 31, 2025

Identity

Facility as filed	COLUMBUS WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY
Permittee as filed	Columbus WWTF
NPDES ID	NE0035025
Permit status	Administratively continued (past its expiration date and still in force until reissued)
Permit type	Individual permit
Discharger class	Major discharger
Facility type	Publicly owned treatment works
Program	Publicly owned treatment works
Issued	June 22, 2020
Expiration date	June 30, 2025
Address	Columbus, NE 68601
Receiving water	LOUP RIVER
Subwatershed	City of Columbus-Loup River (HUC 102100090605)
Program components on file	POTW, Pretreatment
SIC	4952 – Sewerage Systems

Effluent limits and exceedances

34Pollutants on file
19Under a numeric limit
29With a violation of any kind
7With an effluent exceedance

An effluent exceedance is a discharge monitoring report value over the permit’s numeric limit (EPA’s violation code E90). A violation of any kind also counts a report not filed. Each row is EPA’s own count for that pollutant.

Pollutant or measure	Limits	Violations, any kind	Effluent exceedances	Latest exceedance	Largest exceedance, as filed
Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N]	12	19	19	July 31, 2015	3,424% over the limit
Solids, total suspended	5	8	8	March 31, 2019	342% over the limit
BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C]	5	8	6	May 31, 2005	1,484% over the limit
Oil and grease, hexane extr method	3	2	2	October 31, 2007	43% over the limit
Chlorine, total residual	0	2	2	June 30, 2005	230% over the limit
pH	3	2	1	April 30, 2002
Toxicity [acute], Ceriodaphnia dubia	3	1	1	December 31, 2018	41% over the limit
Arsenic, sludge tot. dry wt [as As]	0	3	0
Nitrogen, total [as N]	2	2	0
Phosphorus, total [as P]	2	2	0
Cadmium, dissolved [as Cd]	2	2	0
Chromium, dissolved [as Cr]	2	2	0
Copper, dissolved [as Cu]	2	2	0
Lead, dissolved [as Pb]	2	2	0
Nickel, dissolved [as Ni]	2	2	0
Zinc, dissolved [as Zn]	2	2	0
Selenium, sludge solid	0	2	0
Nitrogen [as NO3] sludge solid	0	2	0
Molybdenum, sludge, total, dry weight [as Mo]	0	2	0
Zinc, sludge, total, dry weight [as Zn]	0	2	0
Lead, sludge, total, dry weight [as Pb]	0	2	0
Nickel, sludge, total, dry weight [as Ni]	0	2	0
Nitrogen, sludge, total, dry weight [as N]	0	2	0
Mercury, sludge, total, dry weight [as Hg]	0	2	0
Chromium, sludge, total, dry weight [as Cr]	0	2	0
Copper, sludge, total, dry weight [as Cu]	0	2	0
Cadmium, sludge, total, dry weight [as Cd]	0	2	0
Solids, sludge, total, dry weight	0	2	0
Nitrogen, ammonia, sludge, tot dry wgt	0	2	0
Flow, in conduit or thru treatment plant	3	0	0
Toxicity [acute], Pimephales promelas [Fathead Minnow]	3	0	0
Temperature, water deg. fahrenheit	2	0	0
E. coli, MTEC-MF	2	0	0
Priority pollutants scan [yes/no]	1	0	0

Inspections, violations and enforcement

3Single-event violations

Date	What EPA recorded	Agency
August 18, 2025	Wet-weather SSO discharge to waters of the U.S. that may endanger health or the environment	ST6
August 14, 2024	Wet-weather SSO discharge to waters of the U.S. that may endanger health or the environment	ST6
March 29, 2022	Wet-weather unanticipated prohibited bypass discharge to waters of the U.S. - endangerment	ST6

Inspections

EPA’s inspection file holds no inspection for NPDES NE0035025.

Formal enforcement and penalties

0 formal actions, 0 of them with a penalty assessed. Federal and state penalties are separate figures from separate authorities and are shown as each was filed, never added together.

Informal enforcement

EPA’s informal enforcement file holds no action for NPDES NE0035025.

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Figures from EPA’s ICIS-NPDES download, loaded October 14, 2026.

This public-records page covers Clean Water Act discharge permit NPDES NE0035025 for the Columbus Wastewater Treatment Facility in Columbus, NE, which discharges to the Loup River and is listed with the program types POTW and Pretreatment. The page lists a permit status of Administratively continued, a Major Discharger class, 19 pollutants under a numeric limit, and 7 pollutants with an effluent exceedance, with the permit shown as issued June 22, 2020 and expiring June 30, 2025.