Overview
MESA WSD is a secondary wastewater treatment plant in Mesa, Colorado, serving approximately 500 people. It discharges 37.85 megaliters of treated wastewater annually.
MESA WSD is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Mesa, Colorado, United States. The plant serves a small population of around 500 residents in the rural community of Mesa, situated in Mesa County. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater. The plant has a designed capacity of 151.42 megaliters per year and currently treats an annual discharge volume of 37.85 megaliters. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, secondary treatment is the minimum standard for municipal wastewater plants, and facilities of this scale typically operate under 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 in receiving streams. The treated effluent from MESA WSD is discharged into a local waterway that eventually drains into the Colorado River Basin. The Colorado River is a vital water source for the arid southwestern United States, supporting agriculture, municipal supplies, and ecosystems. The plant's operations help maintain water quality in this sensitive watershed, which faces challenges from drought and increasing demand.
Environmental context
MESA WSD discharges into a tributary of the Colorado River, which flows through the Colorado Plateau and ultimately into the Gulf of California. The Colorado River Basin supports diverse aquatic life, including several native fish species, and provides water for millions of people across multiple states. The arid climate and high evaporation rates make water quality management critical in this region.
Frequently asked questions
MESA WSD is located at 11533 Sewer Plant Road, Mesa, Colorado, 81643, United States, in Mesa County.
MESA WSD serves approximately 500 people in the rural community of Mesa, Colorado.
MESA WSD discharges treated effluent into a local waterway that flows into the Colorado River Basin, ultimately reaching the Gulf of California.
MESA WSD operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, with NPDES permits issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, setting effluent limits for secondary treatment.
For small communities in the U.S., secondary treatment is standard, often using activated sludge or lagoon systems, with NPDES permits tailored to local water quality standards.
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