SANDIA PUEBLO POND Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bernalillo, New Mexico

SANDIA PUEBLO POND is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Bernalillo, New Mexico, within Sandoval County. The plant serves a small population of 369 residents and operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater discharges. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 378.54 cubic meters per day and a discharge volume matching that figure, the facility operates at full capacity. As a small-scale plant, it is subject to EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, administered by the New Mexico Environment Department. The treated effluent from SANDIA PUEBLO POND is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Rio Grande, a major river system in the southwestern United States. The Rio Grande flows south through New Mexico and Texas, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operations help protect the Rio Grande's water quality, supporting aquatic life and downstream water users in an arid region where water resources are critically important.

The plant discharges into the Rio Grande watershed, which flows through the arid landscapes of New Mexico and Texas before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. The Rio Grande supports diverse aquatic species and provides irrigation and drinking water for millions of people. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, protecting the river's ecological health in a region where water scarcity and quality are pressing concerns.