Overview
East Zion Special Service District wastewater treatment plant serves 606 people in Kane County, Utah, with secondary treatment. It discharges 151.42 megaliters annually and has a designed capacity of 378.54 megaliters.
The East Zion Special Service District wastewater treatment plant is located in Kane County, Utah, near Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort. It serves a small population of 606 people, providing secondary treatment for municipal wastewater. The plant is situated in a rural, inland area of southern Utah, far from coastal waters. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant meets the minimum standard required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater treatment. The plant has a designed capacity of 378.54 megaliters per year and currently discharges 151.42 megaliters annually, indicating it operates well below capacity. The facility is part of the broader wastewater infrastructure managed by special service districts in Utah. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Virgin River system. The Virgin River flows through Zion National Park and eventually reaches the Colorado River, a critical water source for the southwestern United States. The plant's operations help protect the sensitive desert ecosystems and downstream water quality in this arid region.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Virgin River watershed, which flows through Zion National Park and into the Colorado River. The Colorado River system supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for millions of people in the arid Southwest. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect this ecologically sensitive desert river system from nutrient pollution and pathogens.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Kane County, Utah, near the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort on Twin Knolls Road. It serves the East Zion Special Service District area in southern Utah.
The plant serves a population of 606 people, making it a small-scale municipal wastewater treatment facility.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. This process typically involves biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids.
The plant discharges into the Virgin River watershed, which flows through Zion National Park and into the Colorado River. By treating wastewater, the plant helps protect these important river systems in the arid Southwest.
The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires municipal wastewater treatment plants to meet National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit standards. For small plants like this, secondary treatment is typically mandated to protect water quality.
Nearby plants