Pilot Study for an Integrated Waste Treatment and Disposal System Along the U.S. / Mexico Border: Ojinaga Serving as the Prototype

1. Purpose and Objectives: An initial study was conducted with the aim to yield data regarding the feasibility of an effective, low-technology waste treatment and disposal project design suitable for various small communities along the US/MEX border. The full scale design integrated waste treatment and disposal with simultaneous biomass production for energy and fiber. The objective is to give small border communities better alternatives for improving the waste supply in their area in terms of quality and cost. This, in turn, will hopefully bring considerable economic development to the Ojinaga area and other areas that implement the design.

2. Funding: The cost of the study was approximately $2,000,000. However, a full scale design would increase the amount greatly.

3. Partners: SCERP and NMSU 4.) Description: The border community of Ojinaga, MX, was used as a test case. In Ojinaga, local municipal wastewater and currently under-utilized irrigation water was applied to areas where fast-growing woody crops such as Eucalyptus were planted. The intended results would be the improved quality of the water discharged to the Rio Grande and the enhanced growth of the biomass species.

5. Methodology: We used existing four and five year old test plots of Eucalyptus as sites for wastewater applications. Monitoring systems provided data regarding any quality improvement of the discharged waster. Field plot measurements over a growing season may detect any biomass yield improvement due to the irrigation with the enriched wastewater. The duration of the pilot study will be one year and will support US as well as Mexican researchers and field workers.

6. Results: Results to date include: establishment of the trees, with less than 4% mortality; and preliminary characterization of the wastewater and sludge from the old lagoon. The wastewater is low in BOD, COD, and heavy metals. The sludge appears to be primarily precipitated calcium carbonate. The next step is to determine the water use requirements and groundwater monitoring. This is the project’s first year.

7. U.S. Contact: John Mexal New Mexico State University E-mail: cefora@nmsu.edu