PAA KO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Paako Communities, New Mexico

PAA KO is a wastewater treatment plant located in Paako Communities, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. It serves a population of approximately 1,000 residents, making it a small-scale municipal facility in the arid Southwest. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. With a designed capacity of 378.54 cubic meters per day, it operates at full capacity based on reported discharge volumes. The facility is regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the New Mexico Environment Department. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Rio Grande basin. This river system supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agriculture and communities downstream. The plant's operation helps protect water quality in this ecologically sensitive arid region.

The plant discharges into the Rio Grande basin, a major river system that flows through New Mexico and Texas before reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The Rio Grande supports critical riparian habitats and is a vital water source for irrigation and municipal use in the arid Southwest. Protecting water quality in this basin is essential for sustaining downstream ecosystems and human communities.