Overview
VILAS STP is a secondary wastewater treatment plant in Baca County, Colorado, serving a small population of 133. It discharges treated water into the local watershed, supporting rural water quality.
VILAS STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Baca County, Colorado, serving a small community of 133 residents. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal discharges to protect water quality. As a small facility, it is subject to state-level NPDES permitting through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The plant's designed capacity is 75.71 cubic meters per day, with a current discharge volume of 37.85 cubic meters per day, indicating it operates well below capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that drains into the Arkansas River basin, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. This rural plant plays a key role in preventing untreated sewage from affecting local groundwater and surface waters in the semi-arid High Plains region.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters a tributary of the Arkansas River, which flows through the Great Plains and into the Mississippi River system. The local watershed supports agricultural irrigation and provides habitat for species such as the Arkansas River shiner. The semi-arid climate makes water quality management critical for downstream uses.
Frequently asked questions
VILAS STP is located on County Road CC in Baca County, Colorado, United States, serving the small community of Vilas.
The plant serves a population of 133 residents, typical of a small rural wastewater system in the High Plains region.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local watercourse that drains into the Arkansas River basin, eventually reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.
VILAS STP provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater discharges.
As a small municipal plant in Colorado, VILAS STP operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the state, ensuring compliance with federal water quality standards.
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