Nogales Wastewater Treatment Plant, Durango, Mexico - Secondary Treatment for Small Community

The Nogales wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Coneto de Comonfort, Durango, Mexico. It serves a small population of 687 residents, providing secondary treatment for municipal wastewater. The plant has a designed capacity of 155.52 cubic meters per day and currently discharges 129.60 cubic meters of treated effluent daily. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant meets the standard requirements for organic matter and suspended solids removal. In Mexico, wastewater treatment plants are regulated under the National Water Law (Ley de Aguas Nacionales) and NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets discharge limits for pollutants. For small communities like Nogales, secondary treatment is typically sufficient to protect local water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that eventually drains into the Pacific Ocean via the Nazas River basin. The region is semi-arid, and the plant plays a crucial role in preventing untreated sewage from contaminating local streams and groundwater. Proper treatment helps maintain the ecological balance of the downstream aquatic environment.

The Nogales plant discharges into a tributary of the Nazas River, which flows through the arid landscapes of Durango before reaching the Laguna de Mayran and ultimately the Pacific Ocean. The surrounding watershed supports limited but ecologically sensitive aquatic life, including native fish species adapted to intermittent flows. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic pollution and protects downstream water quality in a region where water resources are scarce.