Crested Butte Town of Wastewater Treatment Plant, Colorado

The Crested Butte Town of wastewater treatment plant is located in Crested Butte, Colorado, United States. It serves a population of approximately 1,600 residents in this mountain community. The plant is situated in Gunnison County, within the Rocky Mountain region. The facility provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process for municipal wastewater. With a designed capacity of 2271.24 megaliters and an annual discharge volume of 454.25 megaliters, the plant operates well below its capacity. Under the US Clean Water Act, such facilities must comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Gunnison River and then the Colorado River. This region is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing water for downstream communities and ecosystems. The plant plays a key role in protecting water quality in this high-altitude environment.

The plant discharges into the Gunnison River basin, a tributary of the Colorado River. The Colorado River system is a critical water source for the southwestern United States, supporting agriculture, urban areas, and endangered fish species. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollutant loads, protecting the downstream aquatic ecosystem in this mountainous region.