Overview
RAMAH WWT PLANT is a secondary treatment facility serving 430 people in Ramah, New Mexico. It discharges 75.71 thousand gallons per day and operates under US EPA NPDES regulations.
RAMAH WWT PLANT is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Ramah (Tłʼohchiní), McKinley County, New Mexico, within the Eastern Navajo Agency. The plant serves a small population of 430 residents, providing secondary treatment to meet federal and state water quality standards. The plant has a designed capacity of 75.71 thousand gallons per day and currently discharges a similar volume, indicating full utilization. As a secondary treatment facility, it uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. Under the US Clean Water Act, such plants must comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, which set effluent limits to protect receiving waters. The treated effluent likely discharges to an unnamed tributary or arroyo within the Zuni River watershed, which flows into the Little Colorado River and eventually the Colorado River. This arid region relies on limited surface water, making the plant's role in protecting local water quality critical for downstream ecosystems and communities.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a dryland watershed that drains toward the Zuni River, a tributary of the Little Colorado River in the Colorado River Basin. This region supports sensitive riparian habitats and is home to threatened species such as the Zuni bluehead sucker. Protecting water quality is essential for maintaining ecological balance in this arid environment.
Frequently asked questions
RAMAH WWT PLANT is located on Highway 53 (NM53) in Ramah (Tłʼohchiní), McKinley County, New Mexico, within the Eastern Navajo Agency.
The plant serves a population of 430 residents in the Ramah area.
The plant discharges treated effluent at a volume of 75.71 thousand gallons per day, likely into an unnamed tributary within the Zuni River watershed.
As a US facility, RAMAH WWT PLANT operates under the Clean Water Act and must comply with an NPDES permit issued by the EPA or authorized state agency, setting effluent limits for secondary treatment.
For small communities, secondary treatment is standard, using biological processes to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids, as required by federal regulations.
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