San Pedro Cuayaca Wastewater Treatment Plant, Puebla, Mexico

San Pedro Cuayuca is a wastewater treatment plant located in the town of San Pedro Cuayuca, within the municipality of Cuayuca de Andrade, Puebla, Mexico. The plant serves a population of 1,715 residents, providing essential sanitation services for this small inland community. Its location in the state of Puebla places it within a region characterized by diverse topography and agricultural activity. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 354.24 cubic meters per day and a similar discharge volume, the facility is sized appropriately for the population served. Under Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996), secondary treatment is required for discharges into national waters, ensuring compliance with environmental standards for small to medium communities. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that eventually drain into the Balsas River basin, one of Mexico's major hydrological systems. The Balsas River flows southwestward to the Pacific Ocean, supporting diverse aquatic life and agricultural irrigation along its course. The plant's operation helps protect downstream water quality and ecosystem health in this important watershed.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Balsas River basin, which drains into the Pacific Ocean. This watershed supports a variety of aquatic species and provides water for agriculture in the region. The secondary treatment process reduces organic pollutants, helping to maintain the ecological balance of the receiving waters and prevent eutrophication in downstream environments.