Technical tours

Water treatment plant: Cutzamala System

Thursday 19 November
07.00 Depart Sheraton (250 km)
11.00 Tour plant
14.00 Lunch
15:00 Visit the town of Valle de Bravo
16.30 Depart
20.30 Estimated return time

Population growth and the geography of Mexico City have made supplying drinking water and removing sewage and stormwater a major challenge. In 1972 the former Water Commission of Mexico City determined that the Cutzamala River had the best conditions in terms of water quality and flow surplus and only required a change of use for power generation and a similar quantity of water to meet local demands and future developments.

Today the Cutzamala system is one of the worlds largest drinking water supplies, transporting 480.7 billion cubic metres annually. It takes water from the upper reaches of the Cutzamala River and from the Tuxpan Forest, State of Michoacan; Colorines; Ixtapan de Oro, Valle de Bravo and Villa Victoria dams in the state of Mexico, formerly part of the Miguel Aleman hydroelectric system, as well as the Chilesdo dam.

Town of Valle de Bravo

Located about a two-hour drive from Mexico City, the town of Valle de Bravo is a popular weekend holiday destination for wealthy Mexicans. The town has had several names during its history including San Francisco del Valle de Temascaltepec, Temascaltepec de Indios and Villa del Valle. De Bravo was added to honour Nicols Bravo who fought at the Castle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War.

Price per person US$40 (student US$20) including lunch and transport departing from and returning to the Sheraton Centro Histrico. What to wear Closed-in shoes (no sandals, high-heeled shoes or tennis shoes) long pants (no dresses or skirts), long-sleeved shirt or blouse to fully cover arms.

Wastewater treatment plant: Cerro de la Estrella

Thursday 19 November
07.00 Depart Sheraton (25 km)
09.15 Tour plant
12.30 Lunch
14.00 Depart
16.00 Estimated return time

Visit one of the most important plants Cerro de la Estrella, located in the Iztapalapa District. The plant has a capacity of 4.0 m3/s and operates through an activated sludge process followed by a filtration system with sand, gravel and anthracite, then disinfection.

Price per person US$40 (student US$20) including lunch and transport departing from and returning to the Sheraton Centro Histrico. What to wear Closed-in shoes (no sandals, high-heeled shoes or tennis shoes) long pants (no dresses or skirts), long-sleeved shirt or blouse to fully cover arms. A hard-hat will be provided.

Wastewater treatment plant: Puebla

Thursday 19 November
07.00 Depart Sheraton (130 kms)
09.00 Briefing
09.15 Tour San Francisco Plant
11.00 Tour Atoyac Plant
12.00 Lunch
13.30 Visit the City of Puebla
16.30 Depart
19.00 Estimated return time

Puebla has four wastewater treatment plants serving 2.1 million people. This tour will visit two of them, San Francisco and Atoyac. Both have sludge treatment and there are plans to increase their capacity and level of treatment to biological nutrient removal to assist with the recovery of the highly polluted Lake Valsequillo. Both plants have primary treatment and Atoyac concentrates the sludge treatment of both plants.

City of Puebla

Located in a picturesque valley surrounded by volcanoes and snow-capped mountains, the city of Puebla is an important industrial, cultural and educational center and one of the continents oldest colonial cities.

Price per person US$40 (student US$20) including lunch and transport departing from and returning to the Sheraton Centro Histrico. What to wear Closed-in shoes (no sandals, high-heeled shoes or tennis shoes) long pants (no dresses or skirts), long-sleeved shirt or blouse to fully cover arms. Note No child under 14 is allowed. People with limitations of movement are not allowed.

Federally managed wetland: Lake Texcoco

Thursday 19 November
07.00 Depart Sheraton (140 km)
09.30 Tour wetland
13.00 Lunch
14.30 Depart
16.30 Estimated return time

In September 2007, the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) Hemispheric Council voted unanimously to approve the Lake Texcoco Federal Zone (Zona Federal del Lago Texcoco in Spanish) in central Mexico as a WHSRN Site of Regional Importance. Lake Texcoco is a 10,000 ha federally managed wetland in Mexico State located next to the Mexico City Airport that supports well over 20,000 shorebirds annually Wilsons Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) most abundantly. This site is also recognized nationally as an Important Bird Conservation Area (AICA, by its Spanish acronym).

Price per person US$40 (student US$20) including lunch and transport departing from and returning to the Sheraton Centro Histrico. What to wear Closed-in shoes (no sandals, high-heeled shoes or tennis shoes are allowed) long pants (no dresses or skirts allowed), long-sleeved shirt or blouse to fully cover arms.