Fairways MD Wastewater Treatment Plant, Boulder County, Colorado

Fairways MD is a wastewater treatment facility located in Boulder County, Colorado, serving a small community of around 850 residents. The plant is situated in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, an area characterized by a semi-arid climate and rapid suburban development. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other contaminants. With a designed capacity of 264.98 megaliters per year and a current discharge volume of 113.56 megaliters per year, the facility operates well within its capacity. As a US plant, it operates under the Clean Water Act, with NPDES permits issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to ensure compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent from Fairways MD discharges into local streams that flow into the South Platte River, a major tributary of the Platte River system. This river corridor supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agriculture and municipalities downstream. The advanced treatment helps protect water quality in this ecologically sensitive region.

The plant discharges into local waterways that drain into the South Platte River, which flows through the Denver metropolitan area and eventually joins the Platte River in Nebraska. This basin supports a variety of fish species and provides critical habitat for migratory birds. The advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting downstream water bodies from eutrophication.