Nebraska
Clean Watersheds Needs Survey 2008
The Clean Watersheds Needs
Survey (CWNS) is a comprehensive
assessment of needs1 to meet the water
quality and water-related public health
goals of the Clean Water Act (CWA).
States and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) conduct the
CWNS every four years under CWA
Section 516 (b). Nebraska documented
needs totaling $4.6 billion in 2008.
This is a 79 percent increase from the
$2.6 billion in needs documented in
2004.
Documented Needs in Nebraska
Needs (2008 Dollars, Millions)
Type of Need
2004
2008
Percent Change
Wastewater treatment
$278
$1,068
284%
Pipe repair and new pipes
$171
$765
347%
Recycled water distribution
nra
nr
0%
Combined sewer overflow correction
$1,100
$1,318
20%
Total Wastewater Treatment Needs
$1,549
$3,151
103%
Conveyance infrastructure
n/a
$32
n/a
Treatment systems
n/a
$4
n/a
Green infrastmcture
n/a
$15
n/a
General stormwater management
$44
$21
-52%
Total Stormwater Management Needsb
$44
$71
61%
Agriculture (cropland) best management practices (BMPs)
nr
nr
0%
Agriculture (animals) BMPs
nr
nr
0%
Silviculture (forestry) BMPs
nr
nr
0%
Ground water protection: unknown source BMPs
$648
$1,340
107%
Marinas BMPs
nr
nr
0%
Resource extraction BMPs
nr
nr
0%
Brownfields remediation
nr
nr
0%
Storage tank remediation
$266
nr
-100%
Sanitary landfills BMPs
$15
$13
-13%
Hydromodification (Water resource restoration and protection)
nr
nr
0%
Other estuary management activities0
n/a
nr
n/a
Total Nonpoint Source Control NeedsM
$929
$1,354
46%
Total Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Needsb'd
$28
nr
-100%.
Total Needs
$2,550
$4,576
79%.
aNot reported; Actual needs may be higher, since documenting these needs is difficult; °In 2004, Other Estuary Management
Needs were reported under Separate State Estimates (SSEs); dNot included in Official Needs in the Report to Congress.
1 Documented needs in the CWNS include the unfunded capital costs of projects as of January 1, 2008 that address a water
quality or a water quality-related public health problem existing as of January 1, 2008, or expected to occur within the next 20
years; and meet the seven CWNS documentation criteria. All needs are in January 2008 dollars.

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Nebraska
Clean Watersheds Needs Survey 2008
Wastewater Treatment Facilities
The enactment of the Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1972 resulted in dramatic improvements in the:
•	Number of wastewater treatment plants.
•	Percentage of the population served by wastewater treatment plants.
•	Quality of effluent treatment from wastewater treatment facilities.
In 2008, 74% of Nebraska residents received centralized wastewater treatment services at the secondary,
advanced, or no discharge treatment level, compared to 47% in 1972.
Number of Centralized Treatment Facilities and Population Served
Number of Facilities
Population Served
%Total	%Total
Population	Population
Treatment Level
1972
2008
Projected"
1972
1972
2008
2008
Projected3
Less than Secondary
42
0
0
319,000
21
0
0
0
Secondary
34
220
207
393,000
25
756,521
43
811,600
Advanced
33
40
55
334,000
22
475,099
27
769,065
No Discharge
0
207
216
0
0
88,063
5
102,144
Total
109
467
478
1,046,000
68
1,319,683
74
1,682,809
a Number of facilities and population served if all needs documented in the CWNS 2008 are met.
Small Communities
In Nebraska, small community
wastewater facilities serve 24% of the
population and comprise 5% of total
wastewater treatment and collection
needs. EPA small community support
information is available at:
www. epa. gov/owm/mab/smcomm
Reported Needs for Facilities in Small Communities
Facilities

1 Needs (2008 Dollars, Millions)
Population
2004
2008
2004
2008
0-999
94
127
$49
$61
1,000-3,499
60
59
$87
$59
3,500-10,000
15
12
$66
$27
Total
169
198
$203
$148
Visit www.epa.gov/cwns for more information including:
•	Detailed Reports to Congress
•	Other state fact sheets
•	Maps, charts, and data downloads for projects, facilities, watersheds, counties, congressional
districts, cities, states, and regions

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