San Pablo Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) - Richmond, California

San Pablo Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) is located in Richmond, California, within Contra Costa County. The plant serves a population of about 90,000, classifying it as a medium-to-large municipal treatment facility in the San Francisco Bay Area. The plant operates under the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater. The facility has a designed capacity of 1.00 million gallons per day, and its operations are regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the California State Water Resources Control Board through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the San Francisco Bay watershed, which ultimately drains to the Pacific Ocean. The receiving waters support diverse aquatic life and are part of a major estuarine ecosystem that provides critical habitat for fish, birds, and marine species.

San Pablo WWTF discharges into the San Francisco Bay, a large estuary that connects to the Pacific Ocean via the Golden Gate. The bay supports a rich ecosystem including migratory birds, fish species like salmon and steelhead, and marine mammals. The plant's location within 50 km of the coast means its discharge can influence coastal water quality, making nutrient removal and pathogen control important for protecting downstream habitats.