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Ridgway engineers warn new state wastewater rules could force plant upgrades and higher rates
Summary
Town Engineer Joanne Fagan told the Ridgway Town Council that a 2025 CDPHE discharge permit adds dozens of monitoring parameters and compliance schedules, prompting a Preliminary Needs Assessment this year to evaluate lagoon renovation versus a mechanical plant and a likely rate study for residents.
Town Engineer Joanne Fagan told the Ridgway Town Council on Feb. 11 that a new discharge permit issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in February 2025 adds dozens of new monitoring parameters, compliance schedules and special-study obligations that the town’s existing lagoon-based wastewater treatment system may struggle to meet.
Fagan said staff notified CDPHE and filed a report in January outlining how the new requirements could affect Ridgway. “The new certification adds dozens of new parameters,” she said, and staff has determined the town will likely encounter challenges meeting the revised limits. The Water Quality Control Commission is scheduled to reevaluate exemptions for smaller domestic treatment plants in 2027, which could affect Ridgway’s obligations.
To respond, staff will prepare a Preliminary Needs Assessment this year — a simplified engineering evaluation that will compare renovating the town’s existing lagoon cells with constructing a mechanical treatment plant and identify the most cost-effective compliance path over the next 20 years. The town has included a pre-application for State Revolving Fund (SRF) financing in the CDPHE loan process; Fagan said the SRF review will consider the town’s current monthly service fees and the date of the last rate increase.
Fagan noted the last wastewater rate increase occurred in 2012 and that Ridgway’s current rate is “considerably below the state average,” a fact that may be queried during loan review. The town manager recommended hiring an independent consultant to conduct a rate study once the Preliminary Needs Assessment provides cost estimates. Council and staff agreed that public meetings should be held to explain upgrade options and any proposed rate adjustments to residents.
Why this matters: wastewater compliance decisions affect long-term utility costs and local budgets. If the town chooses a mechanical plant or major lagoon rehabilitation, capital costs and ongoing operating expenses could require higher monthly rates or debt financing through SRF loans. The Preliminary Needs Assessment this year and a subsequent rate study will frame potential ballot or rate-setting decisions.
Council did not take a formal vote on any specific upgrade at the Feb. 11 meeting; the staff timeline calls for the assessment and public outreach to inform next steps and any formal rate proposals.
