Wastewater Quality Laboratory

The Wastewater Quality Laboratory is located at the Persigo Wastewater Treatment Plant facility. The Wastewater Quality Laboratory is managed independently from the Persigo Plant management system. This ensures that the Persigo Wastewater Treatment Plant discharges effluent (treated) water that is in compliance with state and federal regulations, which is the number one goal of the Environmental Lab. This goal is achieved through an intense quality control program that requires a well-equipped and highly trained staff of laboratory professionals.

In addition to monitoring the wastewater discharge, the Laboratory also analyzes samples for the City's Industrial Pretreatment Program and processes control samples for wastewater operations. Last year, this laboratory performed over 45,000 laboratory tests.

Discharge Monitoring

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Colorado Department of Public Health establish discharge limits and monitoring requirements for municipal wastewater treatment facilities. These limits determine the number of contaminants allowed to be present in a facility's effluent (water discharged after sewage treatment). The limits are set to protect the current uses of the Colorado River - recreation, aquatic life, and agriculture.

The Wastewater Quality Laboratory acts as an independent department and monitors the treated water for these limits. Currently, limits exist for such analyses as:

  • Ammonia
  • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5)
  • Dissolved oxygen
  • E. coli
  • Metals
  • Oil and grease
  • pH
  • Solids (TSS)

Wastewater Process Control

The Wastewater Quality Laboratory acts as support for the Wastewater Operations Division by providing analyses of process control samples. By analyzing samples from different points in the sewage treatment process, the laboratory provides information that operators use to enhance the treatment process.

For More Information

If you would like more information about the Wastewater Quality Laboratory, email Steve Linsley, Environmental Laboratory Supervisor, or call 970-256-4174.