Cabecera Municipal de Tlalmanalco Santa María Wastewater Treatment Plant, Tlalmanalco, Mexico

Cabecera Municipal de Tlalmanalco Santa María is a wastewater treatment facility located in Tlalmanalco, Estado de México, Mexico. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,564 people, reflecting its role in managing municipal wastewater for this community in the central highlands of Mexico. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small to medium agglomerations under Mexican water quality regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT). With a designed capacity of 864 m³/day and a reported discharge volume of 432 m³/day, the facility operates at about half its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Balsas River basin, one of Mexico's major river systems. This basin supports diverse aquatic life and is important for agriculture and downstream communities. The plant's operation helps protect water quality in this ecologically sensitive region.

The plant discharges into the local drainage network that feeds into the Balsas River basin, which flows southwest to the Pacific Ocean. This watershed supports a variety of freshwater species and is used for irrigation and drinking water supply. The secondary treatment provided by the plant reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping to maintain the ecological health of downstream water bodies.