WALSH WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Baca County, Colorado

WALSH WWTP serves the rural community of Baca County in southeastern Colorado. With a population equivalent of 588, it is classified as a small-scale municipal wastewater facility. The plant provides secondary treatment, meeting the standard requirements for inland facilities under the U.S. Clean Water Act. The plant has a designed capacity of 264.98 megaliters and discharges approximately 189.27 megaliters of treated effluent annually. As a secondary treatment plant, it utilizes biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The facility operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The treated effluent is discharged to local waterways that drain into the Arkansas River basin, ultimately flowing into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operations help protect the region's groundwater and surface water resources, supporting agricultural and ecological needs in the semi-arid High Plains region.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Arkansas River watershed. This river system flows through the Great Plains and eventually reaches the Mississippi River, supporting diverse aquatic life and irrigated agriculture. The region's semi-arid climate makes water quality management critical for maintaining ecosystem health and downstream water uses.