El Habal Wastewater Treatment Plant, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico

El Habal is a wastewater treatment plant located in the El Cascahuín area of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico. It serves a small population of 1,581 residents and operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard level for municipal wastewater in Mexico under NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996. The plant has a designed capacity of 241.92 cubic meters per day and currently discharges 224.64 cubic meters per day. As a secondary treatment facility, El Habal removes organic matter and suspended solids, meeting the basic effluent quality requirements for discharge into water bodies. In Mexico, plants serving populations under 2,500 are typically classified as rural systems, and secondary treatment is often sufficient for such scales. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means it must comply with additional discharge standards to protect marine environments. The treated effluent from El Habal likely drains into the Pacific Ocean via local streams or the Mazatlán coastal zone. The region's coastal waters support diverse marine life, including fish and crustaceans important for local fisheries. Proper treatment is essential to prevent nutrient loading and protect the ecological health of the nearby coastal ecosystem.

El Habal's treated wastewater discharges into the Pacific Ocean near Mazatlán, Sinaloa. The coastal waters in this region are part of the Gulf of California ecosystem, which supports rich biodiversity including migratory species and commercial fisheries. Nutrient inputs from wastewater can contribute to algal blooms and eutrophication, making secondary treatment critical for maintaining water quality and protecting marine habitats.