Norte o Los Valles Wastewater Treatment Plant, Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico

Norte o Los Valles is a wastewater treatment plant located in Tepic, the capital city of Nayarit, Mexico. The plant serves an estimated population of 63,891 people, placing it in the medium agglomeration category. Its designed capacity is 1.00 cubic meters per second, indicating a facility sized for significant municipal wastewater flows. As a Mexican wastewater treatment plant, Norte o Los Valles operates under the national regulatory framework established by the Ley de Aguas Nacionales and the Normas Oficiales Mexicanas (NOMs), which set discharge standards for wastewater. For plants serving populations over 50,000, secondary treatment is typically required to meet environmental quality criteria. The regulatory context suggests that appropriate treatment processes are expected to be in place. The plant discharges treated wastewater into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Pacific Ocean via the Río Grande de Santiago and the Río San Pedro. The region's hydrology supports diverse aquatic life and agricultural activities downstream. Proper treatment at this facility is essential to protect water quality in the river systems and the coastal environment of Nayarit.

The treated effluent from Norte o Los Valles likely enters the Río Grande de Santiago basin, which flows westward through Nayarit and discharges into the Pacific Ocean near San Blas. This coastal zone supports mangrove ecosystems and important fisheries. The plant's location inland, more than 50 km from the coast, reduces direct marine impact, but its discharge still affects downstream water quality in rivers that provide irrigation and habitat for aquatic species.