Yepomera Wastewater Treatment Plant: Serving Rural Chihuahua, Mexico

Yepomera wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Yepomera, within the municipality of Temósachic, Chihuahua, Mexico. This small-scale facility serves a population of 298 residents, reflecting its role in providing essential sanitation services to a rural community in northern Mexico. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 138.24 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 129.60 m³/day, the plant is operating near its intended capacity. In Mexico, wastewater treatment plants are regulated under the National Water Law (Ley de Aguas Nacionales) and NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets discharge limits for pollutants into national waters. The treated effluent from Yepomera is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Rio Yaqui basin. The Rio Yaqui is a major river system in Sonora that flows into the Gulf of California, supporting diverse aquatic life and agricultural activities. Proper treatment at this plant helps protect downstream water quality and ecosystems.

The plant discharges into the Rio Yaqui basin, which flows through Chihuahua and Sonora before reaching the Gulf of California. This watershed supports a variety of freshwater species and provides irrigation water for agriculture. The secondary treatment process reduces organic pollutants, helping to maintain the ecological health of the river system and the coastal waters of the Gulf of California.