ALTERNATIVES TO SYSTEMS OF

WASTEWATER TREATMENTS IN
GUATEMALA

Compiles by Engr. Eduardo Smith

Wastewater Treatment plants of Guatemala

Location

Technology

Overseeing body

Functionality

Air force base, Escuintla

Treatment Lagoon

Ministry of Defense

Yes (partially)

Air force base, Retalhuleu

Treatment Lagoon

Ministry of Defense

No

Atescatempa, Jutiapa

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

No

Aurora I & II, Guatemala

Trickling Filter

USAC and ERIS

Yes

Bello Horizonte, San Miguel Petipa

Imhoff Tank

EMPAGUA

Yes (partially)

Berlin, Mixco

Septic Tank

Municipality

N/A

Boca del Monte, Villa Canales

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Cabaas, Zacapa

UASB

Municipality

No

Calapte, San Marcos

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

No

Camotn, Chiquimula

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

No

Camotn, Chiquimula

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

No

Campo Grande, Fraijanes

Imhoff Tank + Trickling Filter

Private

Yes (partially)

Campo Verde, Fraijanes

Imhoff Tank + Trickling Filter

Private

Yes (partially)

Casillas, Santa Rosa

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Catarina, San Marcos

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Central De Mayoreo, Guatemala

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Centro Comercial Metrocentro, Villa Canales

Activated Sludge

Private

Yes (partially)

Centro Comercial Santa Clara, Villa Nueva

Activated Sludge

Private

Yes (partially)

Centro Recreativo, Pto Quetzal

Treatment Lagoon

Private

Yes (partially)

Colonia Hacienda Real, Guatemala

UASB

Private

No

Colonia Monte Mara, Villa Nueva

Activated Sludge

Private

Yes (partially)

Colonia Santa Clara, Villa Nueva

Activated Sludge

Private

Yes (partially)

El Rancho, El Progreso

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

No

El Tabacal, El Progreso

UASB

Private

N/A

El Tesoro, Mixco

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Elgin II, Guatemala

N/A

Private

N/A

Estanzuela, Zacapa

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

Yes

Flores Costa Cuca, Quetzaltenango

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Fraijanes, Guatemala

Activated Sludge

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Guastatoya I

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Guastatoya II

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Ipala, Chiquimula

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Jocotn, Chiquimula

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

No

Justo Rufino Barrios, Petapa

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

No

Livingston, Izabal

ISF

Municipality

Under Construction

Lomas de Portugal, Mixco

Septic Tank

Municipality

No

Los Arcos, San Miguel Petapa

UASB

Private

Yes (partially)

Los Pinos, San Jose Pinula

Activated Sludge

Private

Yes (partially)

Maria Tecn, Solol

UASB

Neighborhood Committee

Yes (partially)

Megafrater, San Cristobal, Mixco

Activated Sludge

Private

Under Construction

Mezquital, Guatemala

Trickling Filter

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Molino de las Flores, Mixco

Septic Tank

Municipality

No

Nimajuy, Gautemala

UASB

BANVI

Yes (partially)

Pajapita, San Marcos

Septic Tank

Municipality

No

Panajachel, Solol

UASB

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Pasco, Jutiapa

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Patzun, Chimaltenango

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

No

Perinea, Mixco

N/A

Municipality

N/A

Puerto barrios, Izabal

ISF

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Puerto Quetzal, Escuintla

N/A

Private

N/A

Retalhuleu, Retalhuleu

UASB

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Ribera del Ro, Villa Canales

UASB

Private

Yes (partially)

Rivieras del Pacifico

N/A

Private

N/A

San Agusn Acasguastln

Septic Tank

Municipality

No

San Cristobal II, Mixco

N/A

N/A

N/A

San Cristobal, Mixco

N/A

N/A

N/A

San Esteban, Chiquimula

Septic Tank

Municipality

No

San Jacinto, Mixco

Septic Tank

Municipality

N/A

San Jose La Arada, Chiquimula

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

No

San Juan Comalapa

Trickling Filter

Municipality

Yes (partially)

San Pedro Sacatepequez, Guatemala

Trickling Filter

Municipality

N/A

Sanarate I, El Progreso

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Sanarate II, El Progreso

Septic Tank

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Santa Elena Barillas, Villa Canales

UASB

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Santa Eulalia, Huehuetenango - Justice Center

Activated Sludge

Private

N/A

Santa Izabel II

UASB

Municipality

No

Santa Rita, Mixco

N/A

N/A

N/A

Solola I (San Bartolo)

UASB

Municipality

Yes

Solola II (San Antonio)

UASB

Municipality

Yes

Taxisco, Santa Rosa

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

N/A

Teculutn I, Zacapa

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

N/A

Teculutn II, Zacapa

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Tiquisate I

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Tiquisate II

Septic Tank

Municipality

Yes (partially)

USAC, Guatemala

Trickling Filter

USAC

Yes (partially)

Valles de la Mariposa I y II, Amartillan

UASB

Private

Yes (partially)

Valles de Sonora, Villa Nueva

Activated Sludge

Private

Yes (partially)

Villa Canales

Treatment Lagoon

Municipality

Yes (partially)

Villa Hermosa, Villa Canales

N/A

N/A

N/A

Villa Sol, Guatemala

N/A

N/A

N/A

Villalobos I, Guatemala

UASB

BANVI

Yes (partially)

Villalobos II, Guatemala

UASB

BANVI

Yes (partially)

Zacualpa, Quiche

Imhoff Tank

Municipality

N/A

Zona Militar 10, Jutiapa

Treatment Lagoon

Ministry of Defense

Yes

Zona Militar 19, Huehuetenango

Treatment Lagoon

Ministry of Defense

Yes

Zona Militar 23, Petn

Treatment Lagoon

Ministry of Defense

Yes

Zona Militar, Zacapa

Treatment Lagoon

Ministry of Defense

Yes

This data classifies the functionality of the studied

plants into five categories: yes (functional),
partially functional, not functional, N/A" where
not enough data was gathered to asses its
functionality, and under construction. Full
functionality means that the treatment plant treats
over 60% of the wastewater, partial functionality
means it treats 30% of the wastewater, while no
functionality means that the plant is not working at
all.

Functionality Analysis
FUNCTIONALITY

UNITS

Yes (Functional)

Partially Functional

42

Not Functional

18

N/A

17

Under Construction

Units
50

42

38

25

18

13

17

2
io
ct
ru
st
C
on
nd

er

Yes (Functional)
Partially Functional
Not Functional
N/A
Under Construction

2% 9%
20%

21%

/A
N

l
na
io
ct
ot
Fu
n

Fu
n
rti
al
ly
Pa

Ye
s

(F
u

nc

ct

tio

io
n

na

l)

al

48%

* Partial and non Functionality is due to several factors including design failures, overcapacity, poor
management, and the plant being old

Overseeing Body

There are dierent organizations who oversee each

treatment plant. Most of the plants are either run by
the local municipality or are privately owned.
However there are other organizations which
administrate these plants. Here you can see a
breakdown of which organizations oversee these
WWTPs.

OVERSEEING BODY

UNITS

BANVI*

EMPAGUA*

Ministry of Defense

Municipality

50

Neighborhood Committee

Private

19

USAC*

N/A

Number of Plants
50

50

38

25

19
13

ho
or

in

ei

gh
b

2%

6% 3%1%

7%

22%

1%
57%

BANVI: National Bank of Housing

EMPAGUA: Municipal Water Company

USAC: University of San Carlos

BANVI*
EMPAGUA*
Ministry of Defense
Municipality
Neighborhood Committee
Private
USAC*
N/A

/A

5
N

*
C
SA
U

at
e
iv

od

is
t

ry

Pr

itt

un

ic

C
om
m

ip

fe
De
of

EM

2
ee

al
ity

1
ns

U
A*
PA
G

N
VI

3
BA

WWT Technologies of Guatemala

Of the 87 plants studied, these are the technologies

used to treat the wastewater. These plants were
studied for an overview of the watersheds that
contribute to the contamination of Lake Amatitlan
(not Lake Atitlan).

TECHNOLOGY

UNITS

Activated Sludge

Imho Tank

16

Imho Tank + Trickling Filter

ISF*

Septic Tank

Treatment Lagoon

19

Trickling Filter

UASB*

16

N/A

Units
20

19
16

15

16

10

10%

10%

18%

18%

6%

2%
2%
22%

10%

*UASB: Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Digestion

*ISF: Intermittent Sand Filter

Activated Sludge
Imho Tank
Imho Tank + Trickling Filter
ISF*
Septic Tank
Treatment Lagoon
Trickling Filter
UASB*
N/A

/A
N

AS

B*

r
lte
Fi
Tr
ic

kl
in

ag
tL
en
tm
Tr
ea

+
Im
ho

Ta
n

Ac

oo
n

k
Ta
n

Tr
ic

Se

kl

pt

in
g

ic

Fi

IS

lte

k
Ta
n
Im
ho

ge
Sl
ud
tiv

at
ed

2
F*

CONCLUSIONS

- Sanitary Sewer + WWTP = PREVENTIVE

HEALTH

- The aggregated value of the reutilization

of the byproducts

- The characteristics of this operation

and maintenance of the WWTP

PLANIFICATION

IDEALIZATION

DESIGN

CLOSURE
CYCLE OF PROJECT
CONSTRUCTION

MAINTENANCE

OPERATION

SUPERVISION

The microbiological quality of the

euents from stabilization lagoons,
using other methods, can only be
achieved by adding:

DESINFFECTION

RECOMENDATIONS
REDUCTION AT THE SOURCE

Determine Quantity

Determine Quality

USE AND REUSE

WASTE WATER TREATMENT

REUTILIZATION