La Magdalena Wastewater Treatment Plant, Chihuahua, Mexico

La Magdalena wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Balleza, Chihuahua, Mexico, serving the small community of La Magdalena. The plant provides secondary treatment for a population of 730, reflecting its role in managing local domestic wastewater in this rural inland area. With a designed capacity of 103.68 cubic meters per day and an average discharge volume of 69.12 cubic meters per day, the plant operates within its capacity. As a secondary treatment facility, it meets the standard requirements for municipal wastewater treatment in Mexico under the national water law (Ley de Aguas Nacionales) and NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets discharge limits for pollutants into national waters. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Pacific Ocean via the Rio Fuerte or Rio Conchos systems, depending on the exact drainage basin. The plant helps protect downstream water quality and aquatic ecosystems in the Sierra Madre Occidental region.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the larger Rio Conchos or Rio Fuerte watershed, which flow through the Sierra Madre Occidental and eventually reach the Pacific Ocean. This region supports diverse aquatic life and is important for migratory birds. The secondary treatment reduces organic load and suspended solids, helping to maintain water quality in these sensitive mountain ecosystems.