Palestina Wastewater Treatment Plant, Jaltenango, Chiapas, Mexico

The Palestina wastewater treatment plant serves the community of Jaltenango in the municipality of Ángel Albino Corzo, Chiapas, Mexico. This facility is part of the state's wastewater infrastructure, handling domestic sewage from a population of approximately 3,651 residents. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard biological process for removing organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 1,900.80 cubic meters per day, the current discharge volume of 345.60 cubic meters per day indicates the plant is operating well below its capacity. Under Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996), secondary treatment is required for discharges into national waters to meet quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Grijalva River basin, one of Mexico's most significant hydrological systems. This basin supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and provides water for agriculture and communities downstream before reaching the Gulf of Mexico.

The plant's discharge enters the Grijalva River basin, which flows through Chiapas and Tabasco into the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed is ecologically important, hosting diverse freshwater species and supporting riparian habitats. The region's tropical climate and mountainous terrain make water quality management critical for downstream communities and ecosystems.