Notice to Customers:

Johnson County Wastewater’s office is open to the public, but we have modified some of our business practices to mitigate risks associated with COVID-19. Please see Department News (COVID-19 Updates) for the most current information regarding safety measures when visiting our offices, and helpful links and phone numbers to assist you with your Permitting, Grease Management and Customer Service needs.

wastewater department

Johnson County Wastewater is responsible for the safe collection, transportation, and treatment of wastewater generated by residential, industrial, and commercial customers. Johnson County Wastewater works to eliminate disease-causing bacteria and to protect the environment for human and aquatic life. Johnson County Wastewater's role is to ensure that our streams, rivers and lakes are free from disease-causing bacteria and viruses that are harmful to the public health.

Department News

COVID-19 Updates

July 30, 2020

To protect the health and safety of our customers and staff, we are maintaining reduced staffing within our office. We are available to assist those who choose to do business with us in person, but customers are encouraged to continue to conduct business by phone or online where possible. For in person visits, we follow Governor Kelly’s Executive Order #20-52, requiring patrons and staff of JCW to wear a mask in our offices and outdoors where 6 feet of physical distance cannot be maintained. There are several exemptions outlined in the order, including for children 5 and younger and those with certain medical conditions. For additional COVID-19 updates impacting Permitting, Grease Management and Customer Service, please see Department News below.

Our Customer Service professionals are available to help you with your wastewater service and billing inquiries by calling 913-715-8590. For permitting, inspections and development services questions or to schedule an appointment, please call Johnson County Wastewater's Permit Group at 913-715-8520. For online assistance, please utilize these resources.

To start, stop or transfer your wastewater service access our New Service Request Form, Cancel Service Request Form or Transfer Service Form.

For billing inquiries, updating account information, and paying your wastewater bill utilize JCW’s self-service site, Manage Your Account Online. Or simply use our Contact Us web form to ask customer service questions.

For Permitting and Development services inquiries, please visit www.mygovernmentonline.org or email The Permitting Group.

Residential customers who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak are encouraged to call 913-715-8590 to setup a pay arrangement. Staff is available to assist you Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For sewer emergencies, please call 913-715-8600. Our Operations staff is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide assistance

Visit our Grease Management page for the most current information concerning grease interceptor permit renewals, pumping and operational requirements.

Thank you for your patience and we apologize for any inconvenience.

Tomahawk WWTF Expansion Project Update

May 22, 2020

Despite the wettest year in 2019 and the recent coronavirus pandemic, work at the construction site is proceeding on schedule, on budget, and safely in accordance with local and CDC guidelines. It has been 762 days since groundbreaking, and the site now looks like a wastewater treatment facility. Structural concrete work is over 90% complete, equipment is starting to arrive onsite, and masons are rapidly raising CMU and brick veneer. Basins are being leak tested as part of their quality check out process which will be followed by installation of equipment. Driving down Lee Blvd now provides a completely different view than a couple months ago. See the following panorama for a high level view of the site
(use Chrome to view this link) (Tomahawk Panorama May 12th 2020).

April marked a major milestone with the disassembly of the three tower cranes that stood sentinel over the site since November 2018. A time lapse video of the tower cranes can be viewed at this link (Tower Crane Time Lapse). The Evergy substation has been completed with the new transmission poles and lines turning into the site. The substation is set to be energized by the end of May. While construction is active across the site, McCarthy is focused on completing both the Peak Flow Pump Station and the Administration Building by July of this year. See the following link for a panorama from within the wet well of the Peak Flow Pump Station, which is also the deepest structure onsite (Peak Flow Pump Station Panorama).

Since the start of construction, we have been producing educational videos about the Tomahawk Facility so you can see the different steps in the wastewater treatment process. We are working on liquid treatment and have posted videos up to the disk filters. Be sure to check the website to see how it works (https://www.jcwtomahawk.com/how-it-works). Check back often as we continue to highlight a new process each month.
As always, you can continue to find useful information, videos, and notifications about the project at www.JCWTomahawk.com.

EPA Encourages Americans to Only Flush Toilet Paper

March 31, 2020

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging all Americans to only flush toilet paper, not disinfecting wipes or other non-flushable items that should be disposed of in the trash. Flushing only toilet paper helps ensure that the toilets, plumbing, sewer systems and septic systems will continue working properly to safely manage our nation’s wastewater. While EPA encourages disinfecting your environment to prevent the spread of COVID-19, never flush disinfecting wipes or other non-flushable items. These easy steps will keep surfaces disinfected and wastewater management systems working for all Americans.

Preventable toilet and sewer backups can pose a threat to human health and present an extra challenge to our water utilities and their workforce. Flushing anything other than toilet paper, including disinfecting wipes, can damage internal plumbing, local sewer systems and septic systems. Fixing these backups is costly and takes time and resources away from ensuring that wastewater management systems are otherwise working properly. EPA thanks wastewater utilities and their workforce for their courageous efforts at a time when resources may be stretched thin. Having fully operational wastewater services is critical to containing COVID-19 and protecting Americans from other public health risks. Our nation’s wastewater employees are everyday heroes who are on the frontline of protecting human health and the environment every single day.

For more information, see https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus.

Johnson County Wastewater’s 2020 fee schedule

February 18, 2020

Johnson County Wastewater’s user charges are evaluated annually for their sufficiency in covering the cost of providing wastewater collection and treatment service. Revenues from user charges represent the majority of JCW’s revenues. All JCW customers pay user charges that include a bi-monthly service charge and a charge for wastewater volume.

JCW also provides ancillary services to meet the specific needs of some, but not all, customers. These services may include plan reviews, permits, inspections and other services. The costs of providing these ancillary services are reviewed periodically for their sufficiency to recover the related costs. Click here for a list of the 2020 fees.

Johnson County Wastewater receives national recognition

August 29, 2019

Johnson County Wastewater has been a long-time member of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). NACWA is a national organization that represents the wastewater treatment industry for legislative, regulatory, and legal advocacy. Each year, NACWA recognizes member agencies for excellence in permit compliance through three different award categories, which include a platinum award, a gold award, and a silver award. The Platinum awards recognize facilities with a consistent record of full compliance for a consecutive five-year period. Gold awards are presented to facilities with no permit violations for the entire calendar year. And Silver awards are presented to facilities with no more than five violations per the calendar year.

In 2018, Johnson County Wastewater had a 99.98 percent compliance rate regarding National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) limits. Of a possible 3,567 violations, the department recorded only six violations for the entire year. JCW received recognition for all treatment plants as follows: Blue River Main Wastewater Treatment Facility received the Platinum 13 (recognizing it for 13 years of 100% compliance), Mill Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility received the Platinum 12 (recognizing it for 12 years of 100% compliance), New Century AirCenter Wastewater Treatment Facility received the Platinum 7 (recognizing it for seven years of 100% compliance), Douglas L. Smith Middle Basin Wastewater Treatment Facility received the Platinum 5 (recognizing it for five years of 100% compliance), and the Myron K. Nelson and Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facilities received the Silver Award (5 or less violations). These awards and recognition on the national level are a tribute to the dedicated staff at each facility who work hard to achieve compliance with the regulations and safely return clean water back to Johnson County’s waterways.

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