Sunset WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in El Paso County, Colorado

Sunset WWTP is a wastewater treatment facility located on Drennan Road in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The plant serves a small population of 335 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or suburban setting. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, governs its discharge. With a designed capacity of 3936.82 volume units and an actual discharge of 94.64 volume units, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variability. The treated effluent from Sunset WWTP is discharged into a local water body, likely a stream or river within the Arkansas River basin. The plant's location in eastern Colorado places it in a semi-arid region where water quality is critical for downstream agricultural and ecological uses. The receiving waters eventually flow to the Arkansas River, which supports irrigation, recreation, and habitat for fish and wildlife.

Sunset WWTP discharges into a local watercourse that is part of the Arkansas River watershed. The Arkansas River flows through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas before joining the Mississippi River. In this semi-arid region, maintaining water quality is essential for agricultural irrigation, livestock watering, and aquatic life. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect downstream ecosystems from excessive nutrient loading and organic pollution.