ObjectiveDue to the uneven development of urban areas, the wastewater load borne by wastewater treatment facilities in different regions varies. This has led to some wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) operating beyond their design capacity, resulting in wastewater overflow, while others are running at low capacity, incurring high operational costs. In a certain watershed in Beijing, the reclaimed WWTP A and B were located in the upstream and downstream sections, respectively. The wastewater volume and quality were imbalanced between the two WWTPs, with the reclaimed WWTP A receiving more water than its design capacity, while the reclaimed WWTP B received less than its designed capacity.MethodsTo ensure a high rate of wastewater collection and treatment, reduce overflow, and lower operational costs, a wastewater distribution network was built between the two WWTPs.ResultsThis study examined the environmental and economic benefits of the wastewater allocation between the two reclaimed WWTPs. The analysis showed that the wastewater distribution effectively reduced upstream overflow, generating positive environmental benefits. The allocation had little impact on the operating costs of the reclaimed WWTP A, while it significantly improved the water quality at the reclaimed WWTP B, enhancing its carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N) and reducing its operational costs. The overall costs of both plants benefit from the water allocation.ConclusionTherefore, wastewater distribution is an effective measure for improving both environmental and operational efficiency in WWTPs with imbalanced influent loads that are in close proximity to each other.