Jal City of Wastewater Treatment Plant, Jal, New Mexico

The Jal City of wastewater treatment plant is located in Jal, Lea County, New Mexico, United States. It serves a population of approximately 2,956 residents, providing secondary treatment as part of the municipal wastewater infrastructure in this arid region of the southwestern U.S. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant meets the standard requirements under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which mandates secondary treatment for municipal wastewater discharges. The plant's designed capacity is 1,514.16 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 757.08 m³/day, indicating it operates below its full capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Pecos River basin. The Pecos River flows through New Mexico and Texas before joining the Rio Grande, supporting diverse aquatic life and agricultural water use in the region. The plant's operations are subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the New Mexico Environment Department.

The plant discharges into the Pecos River basin, a major tributary of the Rio Grande. The Pecos River provides critical water resources for irrigation and supports riparian habitats in the arid Southwest. Downstream, the river flows into the Rio Grande, which eventually reaches the Gulf of Mexico. The region's semi-arid climate makes water quality management essential for maintaining ecological balance and human use.