Overview
Huanusco Arellanos is a secondary wastewater treatment plant in Huanusco, Zacatecas, Mexico, serving 2,268 people with a discharge volume of 362.88 cubic meters.
Huanusco Arellanos is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Huanusco, Zacatecas, Mexico, along the Carretera Tabasco-Jalpa. It serves a population of 2,268 and has a designed capacity of 362.88 cubic meters, with a discharge volume matching that figure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is a standard level for communities of this size in Mexico. As a secondary treatment facility, Huanusco Arellanos removes organic matter and suspended solids through biological processes, reducing the pollutant load before discharge. Mexican regulations, such as NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, set limits for wastewater discharges into national waters, and plants of this scale are expected to comply with these standards to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies within the Zacatecas region, which ultimately drain into the Pacific Ocean via the Lerma-Santiago basin. The plant plays a key role in safeguarding downstream ecosystems, including rivers and reservoirs that support agriculture and biodiversity in the semi-arid landscape of central Mexico.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Lerma-Santiago basin, which flows through central Mexico and eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for irrigation and human consumption. The secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, protecting downstream water quality in a region where water resources are increasingly stressed by agricultural and urban demands.
Frequently asked questions
Huanusco Arellanos is located on Carretera Tabasco-Jalpa in Huanusco, Zacatecas, Mexico.
The plant serves a population of 2,268 people.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids.
The plant operates under Mexican standard NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets discharge limits for pollutants into national waters.
For small communities, secondary treatment is typical, often using activated sludge or lagoon systems, to meet regulatory standards.
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