Overview
DOLORES WWTP is a secondary treatment plant serving approximately 1,000 people in Dolores, Colorado. It discharges treated wastewater into the Dolores River, a tributary of the Colorado River system.
DOLORES WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Dolores, Colorado, along the Dolores River Trail. The plant serves a small population of around 1,000 residents in this rural community in Montezuma County. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant has a designed capacity of 1,779.14 cubic meters per day and currently treats an average daily flow of 264.98 cubic meters, indicating significant reserve capacity. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, the facility operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (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 the Dolores River, which flows southwest to join the San Juan River in Utah. The San Juan River then empties into the Colorado River, a vital water source for the southwestern United States. The plant's discharge supports the local aquatic ecosystem and downstream water users, including agriculture and recreation in the Colorado River basin.
Environmental context
The Dolores River is a tributary of the San Juan River, which flows into the Colorado River, a critical waterway for the arid Southwest. The river supports diverse aquatic life, including native fish species such as the flannelmouth sucker and bluehead sucker. Downstream, the Colorado River provides water for millions of people and irrigates vast agricultural lands. The plant's secondary treatment helps maintain water quality in this sensitive watershed.
Frequently asked questions
DOLORES WWTP is located along the Dolores River Trail in Dolores, Montezuma County, Colorado, United States.
The plant serves approximately 1,000 residents in the town of Dolores and surrounding areas.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the Dolores River, which flows into the San Juan River and eventually the Colorado River.
The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, requiring an NPDES permit issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, which sets effluent limits for secondary treatment.
For small communities, secondary treatment is standard, providing biological removal of organic matter and solids to meet EPA secondary treatment standards.
Nearby plants