Background

Wastewater collection coverage in the municipality of Camargo is approximately 87%. The local utility of Camargo does not have the capacity to treat the 0.50 million gallons per day (mgd) of wastewater flows currently generated by its residents. Wastewater flows collected are diverted to an old lagoon-based treatment facility that has exceeded its useful life, where the raw wastewater flows seep into the ground and water table near the San Juan River, a tributary to the Rio Grande River. Moreover, the sewer main is showing signs of deterioration throughout its entire length and no longer has sufficient capacity to handle current wastewater flows, resulting in leaks and overflows at several manholes.

Additionally, residents in the La Mision and El Sauz subdivisions dispose of their wastewater in substandard septic tanks, latrines and cesspools.

In 2011, as part of this Project, the Mexican National Water Commission, in coordination with the State Water Commission, initiated improvements to address some of these issues, including expansion of wastewater collection coverage to El Sauz and La Mision, and installation of a new sewer main.   

Description

• The Project consists of the following main components:
  First-time wastewater collection infrastructure in La Mision and El Sauz subdivisions;
• Replacement of the sewer main in Camargo;
• Replacement of the main lift station;
• Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), consisting of a lagoon system with an anaerobic lagoon, two facultative ponds and two maturation ponds with the capacity to treat 0.57 mgd. The facility will include a system to capture methane emissions and convey them to a burner for conversion to carbon dioxide.

Benefits

The new treatment process will improve the quality of the effluent discharged to receiving water bodies, while the methane capture system will reduce harmful emissions generated by the operation of the plant. The project will also provide first-time access to wastewater collection and treatment services for 347 homes in La Mision and El Sauz subdivisions.