Norias de Ojo Caliente Wastewater Treatment Plant, Aguascalientes, Mexico

Norias de Ojo Caliente is a wastewater treatment plant located in Norias de Ojocaliente, within the municipality of Aguascalientes, Mexico. The facility serves a population of approximately 4,126 residents, making it a small-scale municipal treatment plant. It is situated in an inland area of Aguascalientes state, away from coastal zones. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment level required under Mexican water quality regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996 and subsequent updates). With a designed capacity of 864 cubic meters per day and an actual discharge volume of 390.53 cubic meters per day, the plant operates below its design capacity. For small agglomerations like this, secondary treatment is typically sufficient to meet discharge standards for organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that eventually drain into the Rio Grande de Santiago basin, which flows westward through Jalisco and empties into the Pacific Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting local water quality in the semi-arid region of Aguascalientes, where water resources are limited and reuse or safe discharge is critical for environmental and public health.

The plant discharges into the Rio Grande de Santiago basin, which flows through central Mexico and ultimately reaches the Pacific Ocean. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agriculture and communities downstream. In the semi-arid climate of Aguascalientes, maintaining water quality is essential to prevent eutrophication and protect the ecological health of the river system.