Pabellon de Hidalgo Wastewater Treatment Plant, Aguascalientes, Mexico

The Pabellon de Hidalgo wastewater treatment plant serves the community of Pabellón de Hidalgo in the municipality of Rincón de Romos, Aguascalientes, Mexico. It is a municipal facility that treats wastewater for a population of approximately 6,622 residents, operating under Mexico's national water regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level for communities of this size under Mexican norms (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996). It has a designed capacity of 1,036.80 cubic meters per day and currently treats an average daily flow of 864.00 cubic meters, indicating operational headroom. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into the local hydrological system, which ultimately drains into the Pacific Ocean via the Lerma-Santiago basin. This region is part of the semi-arid Mexican altiplano, where water resources are scarce and treated wastewater reuse is increasingly important for agricultural and environmental sustainability.

The plant discharges into the Lerma-Santiago basin, which flows through central Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides irrigation water for agriculture in the region. The semi-arid climate makes the receiving water body sensitive to pollution, as low flows reduce dilution capacity. Proper treatment is essential to protect downstream ecosystems and human water uses.