Ignacio Zaragoza y El Sauz Wastewater Treatment Plant, Chihuahua, Mexico

Ignacio Zaragoza y El Sauz is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Ignacio Zaragoza, Chihuahua, Mexico. The facility serves a population of 4,629, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Mexican water management frameworks. It operates secondary treatment, which is the standard level for communities of this size in the region. The plant has a designed capacity of 915.84 m³/day and currently discharges 691.20 m³/day of treated effluent. As a secondary treatment facility, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. Mexican regulations, including NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, set discharge limits for pollutants, and plants of this scale are expected to comply with these standards. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Rio Grande basin. This river system supports agricultural activities and provides water for communities downstream. The plant's operation helps protect water quality in the region, reducing the impact of untreated wastewater on local ecosystems and downstream users.

The plant discharges into the local watershed within the Rio Grande basin, which flows through arid and semi-arid landscapes in northern Mexico. The receiving waters support agricultural irrigation and provide habitat for native fish and bird species. Downstream, the Rio Grande eventually reaches the Gulf of Mexico, making the plant's treatment important for both local and regional water quality.