Unidad Habitacional La Joya Wastewater Treatment Plant, Jiutepec, Morelos

Unidad Habitacional La Joya is a wastewater treatment facility located in Jiutepec, within the state of Morelos, Mexico. The plant serves a population of about 9,127 residents, classifying it as a small to medium-scale municipal treatment system. It operates with secondary treatment, which is a standard biological process for reducing organic matter and suspended solids. Under Mexico's national water regulations (Ley de Aguas Nacionales), secondary treatment is the minimum required for municipal wastewater before discharge. The plant's designed capacity is 1,036.80 m³/day, and it currently treats 864.00 m³/day, indicating operational capacity is below design levels. This suggests the plant has room for future population growth or increased flow. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Pacific Ocean via the Balsas River basin. The region's aquatic ecosystems benefit from the plant's pollution control, as untreated wastewater would otherwise degrade water quality in streams and rivers supporting diverse freshwater species. Proper operation helps protect downstream communities and agricultural water users.

The plant discharges into the Balsas River basin, which flows through central Mexico and empties into the Pacific Ocean. This watershed supports a variety of aquatic life and provides water for irrigation and domestic use downstream. Effective secondary treatment reduces nutrient and pathogen loads, helping to maintain ecological balance in the river system and prevent eutrophication in coastal zones.