San Diego Recoba Wastewater Treatment Plant | Tlaxcala, Mexico

San Diego Recoba is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the town of San Diego Recoba, within the municipality of Hueyotlipan, Tlaxcala, Mexico. The facility serves a population of approximately 821 residents, reflecting its role as a small-scale community treatment system. It is situated inland, away from coastal zones, and operates under Mexico's national water quality framework. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological process for removing organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 86.40 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 77.76 m³/day, the facility operates at about 90% capacity. This level of treatment aligns with Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT) that set discharge limits for municipal wastewater, ensuring compliance with environmental standards for inland water bodies. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that eventually drains into the Gulf of Mexico via the Pánuco River basin. The surrounding region is characterized by agricultural land use and small communities, making the plant's role in protecting local water quality and downstream ecosystems critical. Proper treatment helps prevent nutrient pollution and safeguards aquatic life in the receiving waters.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Pánuco River basin, which flows eastward to the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic habitats and is important for regional agriculture and fisheries. The secondary treatment provided helps reduce organic load and suspended solids, protecting downstream water quality and minimizing eutrophication risks in the coastal zone.