SAN ARDO WWTF - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Valleton, California

SAN ARDO WWTF is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Valleton, Monterey County, California. It serves a small population of 500 residents, providing secondary treatment for domestic wastewater. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and operates within the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act. The plant has a designed capacity of 340.69 m³/day and currently treats an average daily flow of 302.83 m³/day, indicating it operates below its full capacity. As a secondary treatment facility, it meets the standard requirements for biological treatment of organic matter. The plant is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board, which set effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Salinas River watershed and then to Monterey Bay, part of the Pacific Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream aquatic habitats, including sensitive estuarine environments that support diverse marine life and migratory bird populations.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Salinas River, which flows through California's Central Coast region before reaching Monterey Bay. The Salinas River watershed supports agricultural irrigation and provides habitat for steelhead trout and other native fish species. Downstream, Monterey Bay is a productive marine ecosystem known for its kelp forests and seasonal upwelling that sustains rich biodiversity, including sea otters and migratory whales.