When it comes to managing wastewater—and potentially converting it into reusable water for your home or business—it is important to understand the different systems available and how they fit into the current environment and recently updated environmental regulations.
In this blog, we'll break down data on some of the most common wastewater treatment systems and explain why TIM AT Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) are your best option for complying with the changes to NOM-001-SEMARNAT-2021 that require your immediate attention.
Here, we'll consider three types of wastewater treatment systems: Rotoplas biodigesters, septic tanks, and our TIM AT wastewater treatment plants. Today, these are the most common systems in Mexico for homes and businesses, especially in cases where connecting to a sewage system isn't possible.
What's a biodigester?
Strictly speaking, a biodigester is a fermentation tank where organic waste—like manure or even food scraps—breaks down to create biogas, which can be used as an energy source. The leftovers from this process can then become biofertilizers. You might also hear biodigesters called prefabricated septic tanks. While biodigesters are useful for producing gas from organic waste for cooking or similar purposes, they're not an effective solution for treating household wastewater.
What is a Septic Tank?
Septic tanks are hermetically sealed underground containers that can be constructed from concrete, plastic, or fiberglass. They are primarily found in homes not connected to a sewage system. They help treat domestic blackwater—wastewater from toilets that contains human waste. This type of water requires treatment before it can be safely returned to the environment. In septic systems, blackwater undergoes primary treatment through an anaerobic process, but its effectiveness is limited; it requires additional filtration or treatment to ensure environmental safety. This additional treatment system might be a leach field, also called an oxidation or infiltration field. The infiltration field receives the contaminated liquid portion of the blackwater and treats it through natural processes such as microorganisms found in the soil, filtration through the soil substrate, and plant roots that consume nutrients typically found in wastewater (nitrogen, phosphates, and their chemical compounds).
In short, a septic tank is ideal for isolated areas with sufficient land to install an adequately sized infiltration field. However, in Mexico, a leach field is almost never installed, risking the contamination of groundwater for both humans and the ecosystem.
What is a Package Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)?
A package wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) refers to prefabricated systems designed to treat small quantities of wastewater from homes or businesses that lack access to a municipal sewer system. These systems operate using processes similar to those of larger municipal treatment plants, but in a more compact and simplified form. A significant advantage of our TIM AT WWTPs is that they provide a more thorough level of purification by utilizing two stages of biological treatment within a compact system: one with low oxygen (anoxic) and another with high oxygen (aerobic), which together help to break down waste more effectively.
Essentially, with our TIM AT wastewater treatment plant, both solid and liquid waste are treated in a single, space-saving unit, producing clean water that is safe for non-potable uses around the home, such as watering plants, flushing toilets, mopping, doing laundry, washing the car, and much more.
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Complying with the New Law.
NOM-001-SEMARNAT-2021 is now fully in effect in Mexico. For us, the most important aspect of the language used in the new law is that, for the first time in its history, this revolutionary environmental law considers the real pollution caused by septic tanks and biodigesters to adjacent groundwater, soils, and coastal areas.The law does this by recognizing and introducing karstic soils, a type of soil that has a high percolation rate, which refers to the speed at which water flows through the soil. Many coastal regions, practically the entire Yucatán Peninsula, have a geologically defined karstic subsoil. This means that runoff water and any pollution in it from biodigesters and septic tanks can rapidly filter into our already vulnerable water and soil sources.
We have observed the effects of this pollution throughout Mexico and the world, where inadequately treated wastewater leads to eutrophication—a phenomenon that occurs when a surface water body becomes overloaded with nutrients (such as from fertilizers or septic tank leaks). These nutrients cause algae and plants to grow rapidly, which sounds good, but actually harms water quality. When these plants die, they absorb oxygen from the water, killing fish and other aquatic life. In the worst cases, cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, can dominate and produce toxins that sicken people and animals. The result? Turbid, foul-smelling, unusable water that is harmful to humans and the environment. Therefore, choosing the right treatment system is fundamental to protecting our water sources.
In summary, biodigesters and septic tanks should no longer be installed in Mexico. This applies to both existing and new constructions. At TIM, we practice a holistic approach to water reuse and recycling, so, of course, we see the new law as a positive step in the right direction toward protecting our precious soils and coasts, and one that moves people toward using effective and accessible systems like our WWTP.
Why a TIM Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is the Solution
At TIM, our package Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) are designed to meet current environmental challenges while adhering to the latest regulations. Our AT line, for example, is perfect for homes or small communities, with models accommodating 2 to 225 people in residential use. They are compact, easy to install, and simple to operate, requiring no specialized technical knowledge. Maintenance is minimal, and the TIM team offers complete support throughout the entire process. Best of all, TIM WWTPs ensure that the treated water won't harm the environment, doesn't produce bad odors, and can be safely reused for non-potable applications.
We're Here to Help You
Contact us to schedule a meeting. We're here to help you establish a strategy for transitioning your existing home, business, or new construction to implement the right water treatment plant that complies with today's new environmental standards.
Plantas de Tratamiento de Aguas Residuales – Think TIM promueve desde el 2009 el cuidado del medio ambiente. Somos una empresa mexicana que asesora, diseña y fabrica soluciones para el manejo de aguas residuales.
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Avenida Bucareli n.° 108, local D
Col. Centro. Cuauhtémoc, CDMX