San Antonio Wastewater Treatment Plant, Aguascalientes, Mexico

San Antonio is a wastewater treatment plant located in the town of San Antonio, within the municipality of Tepezalá, Aguascalientes, Mexico. The facility serves a population of approximately 5,203 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Mexican wastewater regulations. It is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and treats domestic wastewater from the local community. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard level required for municipal wastewater in Mexico under the official Mexican standards (NOM-001-SEMARNAT). The designed capacity is 449.28 thousand m³ per year, and the actual discharge volume is 492.48 thousand m³ per year, indicating the plant is operating near or slightly above its design capacity. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body, likely an arroyo or stream that drains into the Rio San Pedro or another tributary of the Rio Grande de Santiago basin. This watershed ultimately flows into the Pacific Ocean via the Rio Santiago. The plant plays a crucial role in protecting local water quality and preventing pollution of downstream water resources in the semi-arid region of Aguascalientes.

The plant discharges into a local watercourse that is part of the Rio Grande de Santiago basin, which drains into the Pacific Ocean. The region is semi-arid, and water resources are critical for agriculture and domestic use. The treatment plant helps protect downstream ecosystems, including the Rio Santiago, which supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for irrigation. Proper wastewater treatment is essential to prevent eutrophication and contamination of these valuable water bodies.