SPRINGFIELD STP - Springfield, Colorado Wastewater Treatment Plant

SPRINGFIELD STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Springfield, Baca County, Colorado. It serves a population of approximately 1,750 residents, classifying it as a small-scale facility in the rural High Plains region. The plant is situated at 124 West 7th Avenue and operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US EPA for municipal wastewater facilities. With a designed capacity of 598.09 units and a current discharge volume of 264.98 units, the plant operates well within its capacity. As a small agglomeration, it is subject to state-level NPDES permitting through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the Arkansas River basin, part of the Mississippi River watershed. The plant plays a key role in protecting local groundwater and surface water quality in the semi-arid region, supporting agricultural and ecological needs downstream.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Arkansas River, which flows through the Great Plains into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports irrigated agriculture and riparian habitats. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads and pathogens, protecting downstream water quality in a region where water resources are scarce.