Davis WPCP Wastewater Treatment Plant, Yolo County, California

Davis WPCP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Yolo County, California, serving a population of about 65,890. The plant is situated inland, away from the coast, and treats wastewater from the Davis area as part of the region's water infrastructure. As a medium-sized agglomeration, the plant is expected to provide at least secondary treatment under the US Clean Water Act, with NPDES permits issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board. These permits set effluent limits to protect water quality in receiving waters. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Sacramento River and then the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a critical estuary supporting diverse aquatic life and providing water supply for California. The plant plays a key role in maintaining water quality in this sensitive watershed.

The plant's discharge enters the Yolo County drainage network, which flows into the Sacramento River. The Sacramento River is a major waterway that feeds the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a large estuary that supports fish species such as salmon and delta smelt. The delta is ecologically sensitive and provides habitat for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. Protecting water quality in this system is essential for both ecosystem health and human water use.