María Enriqueta Wastewater Treatment Plant, Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico

María Enriqueta is a wastewater treatment plant located in Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico. It serves a population equivalent of approximately 126,000, classifying it as a large agglomeration under Mexican environmental standards. The plant is situated in the mountainous region of central Veracruz, an area known for coffee production and high rainfall. As a large-scale facility, María Enriqueta is expected to meet secondary treatment standards under Mexico's NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996 regulation, which sets maximum permissible limits for pollutants in wastewater discharges. Facilities of this scale typically employ biological treatment systems such as activated sludge or aerated lagoons to comply with national discharge standards. The plant's treated effluent likely discharges into a local watercourse that feeds into the La Antigua River basin, which flows eastward to the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agricultural and domestic use downstream. Proper treatment is essential to protect water quality in the region's rivers and coastal ecosystems.

The plant is located in the La Antigua River basin, which drains from the Sierra Madre Oriental to the Gulf of Mexico. The receiving water body, likely a tributary of the La Antigua River, supports aquatic biodiversity and provides water for irrigation and human consumption. Downstream, the river flows through coffee-growing regions and eventually reaches the Gulf, where it influences coastal water quality and mangrove ecosystems. Effective wastewater treatment is critical to prevent nutrient enrichment and protect both freshwater and marine habitats.