Santa Maria del Oro Wastewater Treatment Plant, Durango, Mexico

Santa Maria del Oro wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of El Oro, Durango, Mexico, serving a population of about 6,024 people. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for communities of this size in Mexico, ensuring that organic matter and suspended solids are significantly reduced before discharge. With a designed capacity of 864 cubic meters per day and an average daily flow of 570.24 cubic meters, the plant operates below its maximum capacity. Under Mexico's national water regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT), secondary treatment is required for discharges into national waters, and the plant's performance aligns with these standards. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that eventually drain into the Pacific Ocean via the Rio Nazas basin. This region in northern Mexico is semi-arid, making water quality management critical for downstream agricultural and ecological uses. The plant helps protect local streams and groundwater from untreated sewage contamination.

The plant discharges into the Rio Nazas basin, which flows into the Laguna de Mayran and ultimately the Pacific Ocean. This watershed supports agricultural irrigation and local biodiversity in a semi-arid region. Protecting water quality is essential for downstream communities and ecosystems that depend on these limited water resources.