Overview
El Molino El Terrero y Casas Coloradas wastewater treatment plant serves the community of El Molino in Chihuahua, Mexico. It provides secondary treatment with a designed capacity of 950.40 m³/day and currently discharges 518.40 m³/day.
El Molino El Terrero y Casas Coloradas is a wastewater treatment plant located in the municipality of Namiquipa, Chihuahua, Mexico. It serves the local population of approximately 5,476 residents in the El Molino area, providing essential sanitation infrastructure for this rural community. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT) for municipal wastewater before discharge. With a designed capacity of 950.40 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 518.40 m³/day, the facility has capacity to accommodate future growth. The treatment process ensures that effluent meets national quality standards for protection of water resources. The treated wastewater is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Rio Bravo (Rio Grande) basin. This river system is ecologically significant as it supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agricultural and municipal use along the US-Mexico border. Proper treatment at this plant helps protect downstream water quality in this semi-arid region.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Rio Bravo (Rio Grande) basin, which flows through Chihuahua and forms the border between Mexico and the United States before reaching the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports important riparian habitats and is a critical water source for both countries. The secondary treatment provided helps reduce nutrient and pathogen loads, protecting downstream ecosystems in a region where water resources are scarce and ecologically sensitive.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in the community of El Molino, within the municipality of Namiquipa, in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. Its address is Plaza Principal, El Molino.
The plant serves approximately 5,476 residents in the El Molino area and surrounding communities in Namiquipa.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the local watershed, which flows into the Rio Bravo (Rio Grande) basin. The secondary treatment process ensures the water meets Mexican standards before release.
The plant operates under Mexican regulations, primarily NOM-001-SEMARNAT, which sets maximum permissible limits for pollutants in wastewater discharges. For a plant of this scale (serving about 5,500 people), secondary treatment is the required standard.
In Mexico, municipal plants serving populations of this size typically employ secondary treatment processes such as activated sludge or lagoon systems. This level of treatment is sufficient to meet national discharge standards for organic matter and suspended solids.
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