The tour begins at the headworks where untreated wastewater (sewage) enters the Central Treatment Plant. From the headworks the wastewater goes to bar screens, which remove objects ranging from children's toys to false teeth. It then goes to grit basins, followed by primary clarifiers where gravity removes solid wastes.

Next it's on to aeration basins where millions of microorganisms digest the organic waste remaining in the water. From there, the tour takes the students to secondary clarifiers where the microorganisms clump together and settle to the bottom. Later, after further processing to kill harmful organisms, these solids will go to enrich Colorado farmland.

After the secondary clarifiers the tour takes students to see the chlorination and dechlorination processes and the outfalls, where the cleaned wastewater pours into the South Platte River.

Students can easily see the visible difference between the raw wastewater that came into the Central Treatment Plant and the treated water as it leaves.

After the treatment processes for cleaning the water, the tour takes students through solids processing. It is there where the treated wastewater solids, called biosolids, begins its journey to enrich agricultural lands.

The final stop takes students to the cogeneration building where methane gas from the solids digestion process is used as fuel to make enough electricity to power almost 5,000 homes.

The tour takes place in and around the north side of the 177-acre plant site. Some areas require going up and down stairs.

The tour is an outside walking tour. Please wear comfortable walking shoes with closed toes and dress appropriately for the weather. Unless cancelled by the group leader, tours are provided rain or shine.

No eating or drinking is allowed during the tour.

This is a nonsmoking facility. Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the plant site.

This is a 24-hour working facility, be aware of traffic.