Lompoc Regional WRP - Lompoc, California Wastewater Treatment Plant

Lompoc Regional WRP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, California. It serves an estimated population of 57,123, placing it in the medium-to-large agglomeration category for U.S. plants. The plant is situated near the Central Coast of California, an area with a Mediterranean climate and significant agricultural activity. As a U.S. facility, Lompoc Regional WRP operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which is part of the Clean Water Act. For a plant serving over 50,000 people, secondary treatment is the minimum standard, though many plants in sensitive watersheds employ tertiary treatment. The designed capacity is 1.00 million gallons per day, suggesting the plant may be operating near or at capacity given the population served. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the Santa Ynez River watershed, which flows westward to the Pacific Ocean at Surf Beach. The river supports diverse aquatic life, including steelhead trout, and is an important water source for agriculture and municipal use in the region. The plant's location within 50 kilometers of the coast means its discharge can influence coastal water quality and nearshore ecosystems.

Lompoc Regional WRP discharges into the Santa Ynez River basin, which drains into the Pacific Ocean near Vandenberg Space Force Base. The river supports a variety of fish species, including the federally threatened steelhead trout, and provides critical habitat for migratory birds. The downstream environment includes estuaries and coastal wetlands that are sensitive to nutrient loading and pollutant inputs, making effective wastewater treatment essential for maintaining ecological health.