Gardner WSD Wastewater Treatment Plant, Colorado

Gardner WSD is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Gardner, Huerfano County, Colorado. Serving a small population of 158 residents, the plant provides secondary treatment to meet Clean Water Act standards. Its designed capacity is 37.85 million gallons per day, matching the current discharge volume. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal facilities. As a small agglomeration, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. These permits set effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Arkansas River basin, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems from nutrient pollution and pathogens.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Arkansas River, which flows through the Great Plains to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for irrigation and recreation. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads that could contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf.