Overview
San Cristobal Zapotitlan wastewater treatment plant in Jalisco, Mexico, provides secondary treatment for 2,746 residents. It discharges 345.60 cubic meters daily near the coast.
San Cristobal Zapotitlan is a wastewater treatment plant located in the town of San Cristobal Zapotitlán, within the municipality of Jocotepec in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. The plant serves a population of 2,746 people, making it a small-scale facility in the region. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996) for municipal wastewater. It has a designed capacity of 345.60 cubic meters per day and discharges a similar volume, indicating full utilization. As a coastal plant within 10 km of the Pacific coast, it plays a role in protecting coastal water quality. The treated effluent likely drains into the Lake Chapala basin, the largest freshwater lake in Mexico, which is ecologically significant for migratory birds and local fisheries. The plant's operation helps reduce nutrient and pathogen loads entering this sensitive water body, supporting downstream ecosystems and human uses.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Lake Chapala watershed, which ultimately drains into the Pacific Ocean via the Rio Santiago. Lake Chapala is a critical freshwater resource for the region, supporting biodiversity, agriculture, and tourism. The plant's secondary treatment helps mitigate eutrophication risks in the lake, which is vulnerable to nutrient pollution from surrounding urban and agricultural areas.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in San Cristobal Zapotitlán, a town in the municipality of Jocotepec, Jalisco, Mexico. Its address is Porfirio Díaz, San Cristobal Zapotitlán, Jocotepec, Región Ciénega, Jalisco, 45840.
The plant serves a population of 2,746 people, classifying it as a small-scale municipal wastewater treatment facility.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the Lake Chapala watershed, which flows through the Rio Santiago to the Pacific Ocean. The discharge volume is 345.60 cubic meters per day.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by Mexican regulation NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996 for municipal wastewater to protect water bodies.
In Mexico, wastewater treatment is regulated by NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets maximum permissible limits for pollutants in discharges. Plants serving small populations like San Cristobal Zapotitlan are required to meet secondary treatment standards to protect receiving waters.
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