Overview
Two Rivers Metropolitan District is a secondary wastewater treatment plant in Dotsero, Colorado, serving 325 people. It discharges 64.35 million gallons per year and has a designed capacity of 567.81 million gallons.
Two Rivers Metropolitan District is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Dotsero, Colorado, within Eagle County. The facility serves a small population of 325 residents and operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment as a minimum standard for municipal wastewater discharges. The plant employs secondary treatment processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. With a designed capacity of 567.81 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 64.35 million gallons per year, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating ample headroom for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Colorado River basin. The Colorado River is a critical water resource for the arid southwestern United States, supporting agriculture, municipal supply, and diverse aquatic ecosystems. The plant's location in a mountainous region means its discharge contributes to downstream water quality in a watershed that faces challenges from drought and water allocation demands.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a tributary of the Colorado River, which flows through the Rocky Mountains and into the Colorado Plateau before reaching Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon. The Colorado River basin supports a variety of fish species, including the endangered Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect downstream water quality in this ecologically sensitive and water-scarce region.
Frequently asked questions
Two Rivers Metropolitan District is located in Dotsero, Eagle County, Colorado, United States, along Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway.
The plant serves a small population of 325 residents in the Dotsero area.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local waterway that is part of the Colorado River basin, ultimately flowing into the Colorado River.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater treatment plants.
In the United States, municipal wastewater treatment plants operate under the Clean Water Act, with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the state or EPA. These permits set effluent limits based on treatment technology and water quality standards.
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