ABSTRACT The restlessness to revert the deterioration of the hydrological basins of the country has recently motivated the

implementation of development strategies based on Governing Plans of Production and Conservation whose purpose is the management of natural and productive resources with a self-negotiation approach. For these plans, information regarding the water use in the microcatchments, the quantification of the components of the hydrological balance and the qualification of water quality become of fundamental importance. In this study a geomorphological characterization of the basins of the Puyacatengo and Teapa rivers was carried out, the components of the hydrological balance were quantified and the performance of the series of time of these components was analyzed. Finally, water quality parameters at the outlet of river basins and municipal wastewater treatment plants were analyzed. The obtained results show that in the river basins there are an escarped relief with slopes >25% in a 70% of the surface, sedimentary geology of limestone and shale with few waterbearing possibilities, little permeable soils, high annual precipitations ( 4000mm) and cover of cultivated pastures in 50% of the territory which has meant an important change in the use of land. As a consequence, this brings runoff coefficients greater than 30% on more than 95% of the territory. In case of extreme events of precipitation there have been recurrent floods in the lower parts of the basins where agricultural development with predominance of banana crops has needed the intensification of drainage and the practice of removing silt from drainages. The intensification of open-air drainage has shown its efficiency in the rainy season but it becomes a problem in the dry season. An effort has been done to solve this problem by using sub-foliar sprinkler irrigation, but deficiently handled. The modification of water quality in the river basins has been reflected in an increase of parameters such as the Biochemical Demand of Oxygen. Even more, the habitual operation of the wastewater treatment plants has affected mainly the sludge capture. This study allows concluding that the changes in hydrology of river basins are related to an increase of the minimum expenses and diminish of the annual average expenses, a progressive increase of deterioration of water quality which is emphasized during the dry season, and an inadequate and deficient infrastructure for the municipal wastewater treatment. Key words: microcatchment, evapotranspiration, water management, water quality, hydric deficit.