El Potrero Wastewater Treatment Plant, San Francisco Mitepec, Tlaxcala, Mexico

El Potrero is a wastewater treatment plant located in San Francisco Mitepec, a community in the municipality of Españita, Tlaxcala, Mexico. The plant serves a small population of 219 residents, reflecting its role in rural wastewater management within the region. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 43.20 cubic meters per day and a current discharge volume of 20.74 cubic meters per day, the facility operates below its capacity. In Mexico, wastewater treatment plants are regulated under the National Water Law (Ley de Aguas Nacionales) and NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets discharge limits for pollutants. The treated effluent from El Potrero is discharged into the local environment, contributing to the protection of water resources in the Tlaxcala region. The area is part of the upper Balsas River basin, which drains into the Pacific Ocean. Proper treatment helps safeguard downstream aquatic ecosystems and supports water quality for agricultural and domestic use.

The plant discharges into the local watershed within the Balsas River basin, which flows through central Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. The region supports diverse aquatic life and is important for local agriculture. Effective secondary treatment reduces nutrient and organic loads, protecting downstream water bodies from eutrophication and maintaining ecological balance.