Overview
Atotonilco wastewater treatment plant in San Antonio Atotonilco, Tlaxcala, Mexico, serves 5,330 people with secondary treatment and a designed capacity of 648 m³/day.
Atotonilco wastewater treatment plant is located in San Antonio Atotonilco, a locality in the municipality of Ixtacuixtla de Mariano Matamoros, Tlaxcala, Mexico. The plant serves a population of approximately 5,330 people, classifying it as a small-scale municipal facility. It is situated inland, away from coastal zones, and operates within the central highlands of Mexico. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment level required for municipal wastewater in Mexico under the national water law (Ley de Aguas Nacionales) and NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996. With a designed capacity of 648 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 504.58 m³/day, the facility operates below its capacity. Mexican regulations mandate that wastewater discharges meet specific quality criteria for parameters such as biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids, ensuring protection of receiving waters. The treated effluent from Atotonilco likely discharges into a local watercourse that drains into the Atoyac River basin, part of the larger Balsas River system. This river system flows southwestward into the Pacific Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting local water quality and downstream ecosystems, including agricultural areas and freshwater habitats that depend on the river's flow.
Environmental context
The Atotonilco plant discharges into a tributary of the Atoyac River, which flows through Tlaxcala and Puebla before joining the Balsas River. The Balsas River ultimately reaches the Pacific Ocean. The watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for irrigation in the region. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollution and nutrient loads, mitigating eutrophication risks in downstream water bodies.
Frequently asked questions
The Atotonilco plant is located on Avenida 7 Oriente in San Antonio Atotonilco, within the municipality of Ixtacuixtla de Mariano Matamoros, Tlaxcala, Mexico.
The plant serves a population of approximately 5,330 people, making it a small-scale municipal wastewater treatment facility.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which typically involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. This is the standard treatment level required for municipal wastewater in Mexico.
The treated effluent from the plant likely discharges into a local tributary of the Atoyac River, which flows into the Balsas River and eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean. The plant helps protect water quality in this river system.
The plant operates under Mexico's Ley de Aguas Nacionales and NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which set discharge limits for pollutants. For a small plant like Atotonilco, secondary treatment is typically sufficient to meet these standards.
Nearby plants