The Voluntary Incentive Program: Leading the Charge in Nutrient Reduction
The Voluntary Incentive Program (VIP) is a collaborative initiative designed to improve Colorado’s water quality by encouraging domestic wastewater treatment facilities to reduce nutrient discharge ahead of mandatory regulatory deadlines. By participating in the VIP, facilities proactively implement strategies to lower phosphorus and total inorganic nitrogen levels—the primary drivers of algae blooms and oxygen depletion in our ecosystems.
The efforts of these participants provide a significant benefit to our state’s watershed health. On a purely voluntary basis, these facilities are demonstrating environmental leadership, protecting aquatic life, and ensuring cleaner water for downstream users long before they are required to do so. We want to recognize and celebrate these organizations for their commitment to a more sustainable Colorado.
A Message to Our Participants
The Voluntary Incentive Program wishes to thank all participants for advancing watershed health through early implementation of efforts to reduce the amount of phosphorus and inorganic nitrogen in Colorado's waters.
Nutrient sampling data for 2025 has been uploaded to our site here: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/nutrients-incentive-program.
Please take a moment to verify your data:
- Confirm the number of months of data collected.
- Verify the calculated median for your facility.
If any data is missing from any year in the table, please contact us at cdphe.wqengreview@state.co.us and we'll work with you to get it corrected. We appreciate you uploading data in a timely manner and helping us make this program a success!
➽ Clayton Moores, P.E. Engineering Section Manager
