Overview
El Saucito is a secondary wastewater treatment plant serving 1,278 people in Las Piedritas, Sinaloa, Mexico. It discharges 120.96 cubic meters of treated effluent daily and is located within 10 km of the Pacific coast.
El Saucito is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Las Piedritas, a locality within the municipality of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. The plant serves a small population of 1,278 residents, providing secondary treatment to domestic wastewater. It is situated near the coastal highway connecting Eldorado and Costa Rica, reflecting its role in managing sanitation for a rural community in northwestern Mexico. The plant operates with a secondary treatment process, which typically involves biological degradation of organic matter followed by sedimentation. Its designed capacity is 120.96 cubic meters per day, matching the reported discharge volume, indicating full utilization. The treated effluent from El Saucito is discharged into the local environment, likely reaching the Pacific Ocean via coastal drainage systems. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means its discharge can affect nearshore marine ecosystems, including estuaries and mangrove habitats that support diverse aquatic life. Proper treatment is essential to protect water quality in this ecologically sensitive coastal zone.
Environmental context
El Saucito's treated wastewater enters the coastal drainage network of Sinaloa, ultimately discharging into the Pacific Ocean near the Gulf of California. This region supports important mangrove forests and estuarine habitats that serve as nurseries for fish and crustaceans. The plant's proximity to the coast means its effluent can influence nearshore water quality, making secondary treatment critical for minimizing nutrient and pathogen loads that could impact marine biodiversity and local fisheries.
Frequently asked questions
El Saucito is located in Las Piedritas, a locality in the municipality of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. Its address is Carretera Eldorado - Costa Rica, Santa Rita, Las Piedritas, Culiacán, Sinaloa.
The plant serves a population of 1,278 people, making it a small-scale municipal facility.
El Saucito discharges treated effluent into the local environment near the Pacific coast. The plant is within 10 km of the coast, so discharge likely reaches coastal waters or drainage channels leading to the ocean.
El Saucito provides secondary treatment, which typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge.
El Saucito operates under Mexico's NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996 standard, which sets maximum permissible limits for pollutants in wastewater discharges. As a secondary treatment plant, it meets the required level for small communities to protect water quality.
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