Narciso Mendoza Wastewater Treatment Plant - Durango, Mexico

The Narciso Mendoza wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Narciso Mendoza, within the municipality of Poanas, Durango, Mexico. The facility serves a population of approximately 1,088 residents, reflecting a small-scale municipal wastewater operation typical of rural communities in northern Mexico. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment level required under Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996) for municipal wastewater. The designed capacity is 144.29 cubic meters per day, with a current discharge volume of 130.46 cubic meters per day, indicating the plant is operating near its intended capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Nazas River basin. This region is part of the arid to semi-arid climate of the Mexican Altiplano, where water resources are scarce and treated wastewater reuse is increasingly important for agricultural irrigation and aquifer recharge.

The plant discharges into the Nazas River basin, a critical water system in the arid Durango region. The Nazas River flows into the Laguna de Mayran, an important wetland area that supports diverse birdlife and agricultural activities. Proper wastewater treatment is essential to prevent contamination of these limited water resources and to protect downstream ecosystems and communities that rely on the river for irrigation and drinking water.