LAS ANIMAS WWTP - Bent County, Colorado Wastewater Treatment Plant

LAS ANIMAS WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Bent County, Colorado, serving a population of approximately 3,059 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for communities of this size in the United States, ensuring compliance with federal and state water quality standards. The plant has a designed capacity of 1,324.89 volume units and currently treats an average daily flow of 643.52 volume units, indicating operational headroom. As a US facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect receiving water bodies. The treated effluent from LAS ANIMAS WWTP ultimately drains into the Arkansas River basin, a major tributary of the Mississippi River system. The plant plays a key role in protecting local water quality in the semi-arid region of southeastern Colorado, where water resources are critical for agriculture, wildlife, and downstream communities.

The plant discharges into the Arkansas River watershed, which flows through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas before joining the Mississippi River. This basin supports diverse aquatic life and is an important water source for irrigation and municipal use. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic loads, mitigating eutrophication risks in downstream reservoirs and the Gulf of Mexico.