The treatment plant receives and treats all of the wastewater coming from homes and businesses located in the District.  The Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is designed to treat the organic material that is discharged to the sewer system.  This organic material is important to keep the WWTP operation at the highest level and producing a wastewater that is clean.  As important as the organic material is to the WWTP for healthy operations, there are other pollutants that can interfere with the Districts efforts to treat the wastewater or cause pollutants to pass through to the river untreated. 

The Districts Pretreatment Program is charged with preventing the discharge of pollutants to the sewer system that can cause these problems.  The Pretreatment Program works with businesses to prevent certain pollutants from getting too high in the wastewater discharged to the sewer system.  The District relies on businesses implementing best management practice to ensure their discharge is clean as possible.  Where these best management practices are not effective, the District will work more directly with the business to solve their problem.

 While the Pretreatment Program works primarily with businesses, there are pollutants that cause problems for both business and residential wastewater.  You the customer can help assure that our new state of the art facility will enhance our receiving stream (the Colorado River) and not hinder it, by following the information. 
Oil and Grease from cooking that is dumped down the drain causes blockages.  These blockages can cause raw sewage to overflow the sewer system making clean-up expensive and causing environmental problems.
Disposable wipes, kitty litter and sand can cause sewer line blockages and interfere with pumping equipment.
Motor oil, gasoline, and solvents can cause fire and explosions in the sewer system and are toxic to the bugs that treat the wastewater.

Pesticide (herbicide and insecticide) wastes or rinses can cause the WWTP bugs to die.
Old pharmaceuticals (prescription and non-prescription) should not be disposed of down the sewer.
The District is committed to protecting the environment, its customer’s investment in the new wastewater treatment plant, and fully complying with the law and the discharge permit issued to the District by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.  Please call us if you have any questions.