Baca Grande WSD Wastewater Treatment Plant, Saguache County, Colorado

Baca Grande WSD is a wastewater treatment facility located in Saguache County, Colorado, serving a population of approximately 3,000 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, and discharges an annual volume of 295.26 million gallons. The plant has a designed capacity of 567.81 million gallons per year, indicating it operates below its maximum potential. As a US facility, it is subject to the Clean Water Act and likely operates under an EPA NPDES permit issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Rio Grande basin, contributing to the region's water resources. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream ecosystems and maintaining water quality in the semi-arid environment of southern Colorado.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Rio Grande, which flows through the San Luis Valley and eventually into the Gulf of Mexico. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protect water quality in this ecologically sensitive region.