Tepetate de Arriba Wastewater Treatment Plant, Aguascalientes, Mexico

Tepetate de Arriba is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the town of Tepetate De Arriba, within the Calvillo municipality of Aguascalientes, Mexico. The plant serves a small population of 183 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. It operates under Mexico's national water regulations, which require secondary treatment for discharges into inland waters. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 86.40 cubic meters per day and an actual discharge volume of 17.28 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal demand. The treatment process aligns with Mexican norms for small communities under the jurisdiction of CONAGUA (National Water Commission). The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that eventually drain into the Pacific Ocean via the Santiago River basin. The plant's location in the semi-arid highlands of Aguascalientes means water resources are scarce, making effective wastewater treatment critical for protecting local streams and groundwater. The downstream environment supports agricultural irrigation and sustains biodiversity in the region's intermittent rivers.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Santiago River basin, which flows westward through Jalisco and into the Pacific Ocean near San Blas, Nayarit. The surrounding watershed is semi-arid, with seasonal rainfall and limited surface water, making the treatment plant important for maintaining water quality in downstream agricultural areas. The effluent supports baseflow in local arroyos, which are ecologically sensitive habitats for native fish and aquatic invertebrates.