Arkos San Antonio Wastewater Treatment Plant, Morelia, Michoacán

Arkos San Antonio is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Morelia, the capital city of Michoacán, Mexico. The plant serves a population of approximately 9,127 residents, positioning it as a small to medium-scale facility within the region's wastewater infrastructure. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process for removing organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 1,555.20 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 864.00 m³/day, the plant operates below its full capacity. In Mexico, wastewater treatment plants are regulated under the National Water Law (Ley de Aguas Nacionales) and NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets discharge limits for pollutants into national waters. The treated effluent from Arkos San Antonio is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Lerma River basin, one of Mexico's most important hydrological systems. The Lerma River flows into Lake Chapala, the largest freshwater lake in Mexico, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing water for agriculture and human consumption. Proper treatment at plants like Arkos San Antonio is essential to protect downstream water quality and ecosystem health.

The plant discharges into the Lerma River basin, which flows into Lake Chapala, Mexico's largest freshwater lake. This watershed supports a rich diversity of aquatic species and provides critical water resources for irrigation and municipal use in the region. The lake is ecologically sensitive, hosting migratory birds and endemic fish species, making effective wastewater treatment vital for maintaining water quality and biodiversity.