Rinconada Acolapa Wastewater Treatment Plant, Tepoztlán, Morelos

Rinconada Acolapa is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the El Capiri area of Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico. Serving a population of about 5,750, the plant is part of the region's infrastructure for managing domestic wastewater in this historic town at the foot of the Tepozteco mountains. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for communities of this size in Mexico. With a designed capacity of 864 cubic meters per day and an actual discharge volume of 544.32 cubic meters per day, it operates below its full capacity. Mexican regulations under NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996 set discharge limits for pollutants, and plants of this scale are expected to comply with these standards to protect water quality. The treated effluent from Rinconada Acolapa likely drains into local streams that feed into the Yautepec River, a tributary of the Amacuzac River, which ultimately flows into the Pacific Ocean via the Balsas River. The surrounding area is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing water for agriculture and local communities.

The plant's discharge enters local waterways that flow into the Yautepec River, part of the Balsas River basin. This basin drains into the Pacific Ocean and supports a variety of freshwater species. The region's semi-arid climate makes water quality management critical for maintaining ecosystem health and agricultural water supply.