Education Resources

I help Metro Water Recovery explain how they clean used water. Select a topic to learn more!

Our mascot, Fin, holding a sign that says, Hi, my name is Fin!

How We Treat Your Wastewater

Meet Fin!

Fin lives in the South Platte River and is here to show you how Metro Water Recovery cleans wastewater so fish can thrive in the river.

Conoce a Fin!

Fin vive en el río South Platte y está aquí para mostrarte cómo Metro Water Recovery limpia las aguas residuales para que los peces puedan prosperar en el río.

Tours

Tours of our facilities are a great way to learn about what happens to the water that goes down the drain!

Metro invites you to experience the sights and sounds (and smells!) of wastewater treatment. We offer public tours for a variety of groups and individuals.

On a tour of one of our facilities, you will:

Learn the basic concepts of how wastewater is treated.
Understand how wastewater treatment serves a critical role in the water cycle.
Discover how the treatment process protects the water supply for over 2 million people in our 817-square-mile service area.
Observe examples of our commitment to sustainability in our operations whenever and wherever possible.

Important details

Adults must show appropriate government-issued photo identification upon arrival (i.e., driver’s license, military identification, passport, state-issued i.d., Colorado Digital ID™ will also be accepted).
All visitors must wear closed toe shoes for safety.
No eating or drinking is allowed along the tour route.
Smoking is NOT allowed anywhere on the plant site.
Dress appropriately for weather conditions as all tours take place mostly outdoors.
Note that some areas require the use of stairs.

Providing a safe environment for our visitors is a top priority as groups are escorted through the Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility (RWHTF) in Denver and the Northern Treatment Plant (NTP) in Brighton. As a result, there may be areas unavailable for viewing due to construction or maintenance activity.

Note: We may photograph tours in session for our own promotional purposes. We do inform tour attendees if this is the case.

The 2026 Tour season is closed from November 20-Feburary 28. Group tours and Tour Tuesdays will commence March 2027. We hope to see you then!

Public tours for individuals and small groups are offered on the second Tuesday of the month, March through November, at 10:30 a.m. See the schedule and locations below. Reservations are required.

Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility (14 and older)

We can accommodate a maximum of 28.
Tours for individuals and small groups are offered on the second Tuesday of each month, April through November, at 10:30 am. Reservations are required.
Tours are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. Group tours should be requested a minimum of three weeks in advance. Due to safety, we can only allow ages 14 and older at the Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility (Denver).
Tours last about 90 minutes and require extensive walking outdoors. Tours are not conducted on holidays, weekends (except when dates are determined by Metro), or during evening hours. Tours may be canceled due to inclement weather.
Metro provides reasonable accommodations for tours ( and any other public programs) in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request accommodation, contact Maritza Franco 14 days in advance at Mfranco@metrowaterrecovery.com or by calling 303-286-3184.

2027 Tour Tuesday Dates (Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility)

March 9

May 11

July 13

September 14

November 9

Northern Treatment Plant (Ages 8 and older)

We can accommodate a maximum of 28.
Tours for individuals and small groups are offered on the second Tuesday of each month, April through October, at 10:30 am. Reservations are required.
Tours are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. Group tours should be requested a minimum of three weeks in advance. At Northern Treatment Plant, we allow guests 8 years old and older to participate in a tour.
Tours last about 90 minutes and require extensive walking outdoors. Tours are not conducted on holidays, weekends (except when dates are determined by Metro), or during evening hours. Tours may be canceled due to inclement weather.
Metro provides reasonable accommodations for tours ( and any other public programs) in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request accommodation, contact Maritza Franco 14 days in advance at Mfranco@metrowaterrecovery.com or by calling 303-286-3184.

2027 Tour Tuesday Dates (Northern Treatment Plant)

April 13

June 8

August 10

October 12

A minimum of five is required for (private) group tours. We can accommodate a maximum of 28.
Choose a facility RWHTF (Ages 14 and older) in Denver or NTP (Ages 8 and older) in Brighton.
Tours are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. Group tours should be requested a minimum of three weeks in advance.
Tours last about 90 minutes and require extensive walking outdoors. Tours are not conducted on holidays, weekends (except when dates are determined by Metro), or during evening hours. Tours may be canceled due to inclement weather. Tours are not conducted on holidays or weekends.
Metro provides reasonable accommodations for tours ( and any other public programs) in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request accommodation, contact Maritza Franco 14 days in advance at Mfranco@metrowaterrecovery.com or by calling 303-286-3184.

Wastewater Wednesdays

Metro Water Recovery is excited to introduce Wastewater Wednesdays, a 30-minute live virtual classroom experience hosted by one of our knowledgeable employees. Students will embark on a fascinating journey through the wastewater treatment process, from start to finish!

Public Information Specialist Maritza Franco presenting our Children's Video featuring Fin the orange-spotted sunfish.

What to Expect:

Engaging Video: Watch our new children’s video, perfect for all ages.
Interactive Presentation: Enjoy a short PowerPoint presentation that reinforces the video’s content.
Live Interaction: Participate in a live Q&A session with our expert.

Virtual classroom sessions are adaptable to various grade levels and are suitable for in-person classrooms, remote learners, and homeschoolers.

Upcoming Sessions:

Most Wednesdays year-round.
Morning and afternoon time slots available

Teacher Professional Development

Wastewater and Aquatic Biology Class for K-12 Classroom Teachers

We offer a professional development course each summer for K-12 classroom teachers and informal educators. “Wastewater and Aquatic Biology” takes place in 2027. The class includes interactive classroom instruction, a field-based project, and a tour of the wastewater treatment plant. Professional development graduate credit is available.

Wastewater and Aquatic Biology class information