Durango West MD 2 Wastewater Treatment Plant, La Plata County, Colorado

Durango West MD 2 is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in La Plata County, Colorado, United States. It serves a small community of approximately 1,713 residents, providing essential sanitation services in the rural mountainous region. The plant employs secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for facilities of this scale. Secondary treatment uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, ensuring effluent meets federal water quality standards before discharge. Treated wastewater from the plant is released into local streams that feed into the Colorado River Basin. This waterway is vital for downstream ecosystems, agriculture, and municipal supplies in the arid Southwest. The plant's operations help protect water quality in this sensitive watershed.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Colorado River Basin, which ultimately drains into the Gulf of California. This arid region relies heavily on the Colorado River for irrigation, drinking water, and habitat for species like the Colorado pikeminnow. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protect downstream water quality.