Overview
Mahahual wastewater treatment plant in Quintana Roo, Mexico, serves a small coastal community with secondary treatment. It discharges 265.25 m³/day and has a designed capacity of 864.00 m³/day.
The Mahahual wastewater treatment plant is located in the coastal town of Mahahual, Quintana Roo, Mexico, along the Caribbean coast. It serves a small population of approximately 1,126 residents, typical of a small coastal community in the Riviera Maya region. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996) for discharge into coastal waters. With a designed capacity of 864.00 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 265.25 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. The treated effluent is discharged into the Caribbean Sea, a sensitive marine ecosystem that includes the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second-largest coral reef in the world. The plant's coastal location and secondary treatment level are critical for protecting water quality and marine biodiversity in this ecologically significant area.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Caribbean Sea, part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which supports diverse coral reefs, seagrass beds, and marine life. The coastal waters near Mahahual are important for tourism and fisheries, making nutrient and pathogen removal essential. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic load and suspended solids, but advanced nutrient removal may be needed to prevent eutrophication in this oligotrophic marine environment.
Frequently asked questions
The Mahahual wastewater treatment plant is located in the coastal town of Mahahual, in the municipality of Othón P. Blanco, Quintana Roo, Mexico, along the Caribbean coast.
The plant serves approximately 1,126 residents, reflecting a small coastal community typical of the Riviera Maya region.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the Caribbean Sea. With secondary treatment, it removes organic matter and suspended solids before coastal discharge.
The plant operates under Mexican standard NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets maximum permissible limits for pollutants in wastewater discharges into national waters, including coastal zones.
For small coastal communities like Mahahual, secondary treatment is standard to meet discharge limits for coastal waters, protecting marine ecosystems and public health.
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