Pinal County Maricopa HUD WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Maricopa, Arizona

Pinal County Maricopa HUD WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Maricopa, Arizona, within Pinal County. The plant serves a small population of 60 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or suburban setting. It operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which governs wastewater discharges through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level that removes biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 26.50 units and an average daily discharge of 15.14 units, the facility operates below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes such as activated sludge or trickling filters. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body, likely a river or wash within the Gila River basin, which ultimately flows into the Colorado River and then to the Gulf of California. The plant's inland location, over 50 km from the coast, reduces direct marine impact. The surrounding Sonoran Desert environment is arid, and the plant's discharge supports local aquatic habitats and groundwater recharge.

The plant discharges into a local water body within the Gila River watershed, which flows into the Colorado River and eventually reaches the Gulf of California. The arid Sonoran Desert ecosystem relies on such discharges for maintaining streamflow and supporting riparian vegetation. The treated effluent helps sustain aquatic life in an otherwise water-scarce region, though secondary treatment may not fully remove nutrients, posing potential risks to downstream water quality.