Cumpas Wastewater Treatment Plant - Sonora, Mexico

The Cumpas wastewater treatment plant serves the town of Cumpas in the state of Sonora, Mexico. Designed with a capacity of 673.92 cubic meters per day, the plant currently treats an average daily flow of 568.51 cubic meters, serving a population of approximately 4,567 residents. As a secondary treatment facility, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids. Under Mexican environmental regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996 and subsequent updates), wastewater treatment plants must meet discharge standards for parameters such as biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and pathogens. For a small agglomeration of this scale, secondary treatment is the expected minimum standard to protect receiving water bodies. The plant is located inland in the Sonoran Desert region, approximately 30 kilometers south of the U.S.-Mexico border. Treated effluent likely discharges into an arroyo or intermittent stream that flows into the Yaqui River basin, which ultimately drains into the Gulf of California. The arid climate means water resources are scarce, making treated wastewater reuse or careful discharge management important for local ecosystems.

The plant operates in the Sonoran Desert, where water resources are limited. Treated effluent likely enters an ephemeral stream that feeds into the Yaqui River system, which flows southwest to the Gulf of California. The receiving waters support riparian habitats and are important for migratory birds and native fish species. Downstream, the Yaqui River delta provides critical estuarine habitat in the Gulf of California.