San Andres Mixquic Wastewater Treatment Plant, Tláhuac, Ciudad de México

San Andres Mixquic is a wastewater treatment plant located in the Tláhuac borough of Ciudad de México, serving a population of approximately 16,639 residents. The plant is situated in the southeastern part of the Mexico City metropolitan area, an inland region with a high-altitude climate. As a municipal facility, it plays a key role in managing domestic wastewater from the local community. Under Mexico's federal water law (Ley de Aguas Nacionales) and NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996 standards, wastewater treatment plants serving communities of this size are required to meet specific discharge limits for organic matter and solids. The regulatory framework mandates that municipal plants achieve secondary treatment or equivalent to protect receiving water bodies. The treated effluent from San Andres Mixquic likely discharges into local canals or drainage systems that flow into the Lake Texcoco system, part of the Valley of Mexico basin. This watershed ultimately drains to the Gulf of Mexico via the Pánuco River. The region's aquatic ecosystems support diverse bird species and are important for regional biodiversity, though the area faces challenges from urbanization and water management.

The plant's discharge contributes to the Lake Texcoco system, a historically significant water body in the Valley of Mexico. This basin drains through the Tula and Moctezuma rivers into the Pánuco River, which flows to the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports migratory birds and endemic aquatic species, making proper wastewater treatment critical for maintaining water quality in this ecologically sensitive region.