Groundwater in the Rio de las Avenidas sub-basin corresponds to the bicarbonate-sodium and bicarbonate-calcium hydrochemical
facies, which result from the mineralization of water passing through alkaline rocks (andesites) which prevail in this basin.
However, the presence of high concentrations of Na
+ and K
+ reveals the existence of an external inflow of these elements: the registered mean values are respectively 94.3 and 19.0
ppm, with the Tèllez and Tizayuca areas standing out with reported values of up to 142 ppm. As for the concentration of soluble
water cations, we find in decreasing order: Na
+, Ca
2+, Mg
2+, K
+, along with the anions HCO
3
−, Cl
−, SO
4
2−, CO
3
−, which combine to form the NaHCO
3, NaCl, Ca(HCO
3)
2, MgSO
4 and KCl salts. The presence of biological contaminants, P and detergents in the groundwater indicates that it may have been
contaminated by waste water. In addition to the contaminants mentioned above, large quantities of Pb, B, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cr, Co
were detected and although Fe, Pb, Zn, B, and Mn are closely related to the local lithology, the high concentrations of these
elements along with the occurrence of Co, Cr, Cd, and Ni confirm the gradual degradation of the aquifers in the sub-basin.
The water temperature indicates the existence of low temperature thermal processes in the area.
Key words Avenidas basin - Pachuca mines - hydrochemistry - hydrochemical facies - heavy metals - groundwater