Overview
Santa Cruz Tejalpa wastewater treatment plant in Puebla, Mexico, serves a small population of 913 with secondary treatment. It discharges 86.40 m³/day, operating at 33% of its designed capacity of 259.20 m³/day.
Santa Cruz Tejalpa is a secondary-level wastewater treatment plant located in the municipality of Tehuitzingo, Puebla, Mexico. Serving a small population of 913 residents, the plant is part of the local municipal wastewater infrastructure in the rural community of Santa Cruz Tejalpa. As a secondary treatment facility, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 259.20 m³/day and currently treats an average of 86.40 m³/day, indicating a utilization rate of about 33%. This scale of operation is typical for small agglomerations in Mexico, where treatment standards are governed by NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets discharge limits for pollutants. The treated effluent is likely discharged into a local watercourse that drains into the Balsas River basin, one of Mexico's major river systems. The Balsas River flows westward to the Pacific Ocean, supporting diverse aquatic life and agricultural activities along its course. The plant's operation helps protect local water quality and downstream ecosystems.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters a tributary of the Balsas River, which flows through the states of Puebla, Morelos, Guerrero, and Michoacán before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. The Balsas basin is ecologically significant, hosting diverse freshwater species and providing irrigation for agriculture. Secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants, helping to maintain water quality in this important watershed.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located on Calle José María Morelos in Santa Cruz Tejalpa, within the municipality of Tehuitzingo, Puebla, Mexico.
The plant serves a population of 913 residents, typical of a small rural community in Puebla.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local watercourse that flows into the Balsas River basin, eventually reaching the Pacific Ocean.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which includes biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, meeting Mexican discharge standards.
The plant operates under NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets maximum permissible limits for pollutants in wastewater discharges. For small populations, secondary treatment is typically required to protect water quality.
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