Cerro Colorado Wastewater Treatment Plant, Colima, Mexico

Cerro Colorado is a wastewater treatment plant located in the town of Cerro Colorado, within the municipality of Cuauhtémoc, Colima, Mexico. The plant serves a population of 913 and operates with secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in Mexico. Its designed capacity is 129.60 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 86.40 m³/day, indicating moderate utilization. As a secondary treatment facility, Cerro Colorado provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. In Mexico, wastewater treatment plants are regulated under the National Water Law (Ley de Aguas Nacionales) and NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets maximum permissible limits for pollutants in treated wastewater. Plants of this scale are typically subject to state-level oversight by the Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA). The plant's treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse, likely a small stream or arroyo that drains into the Armería River basin. The Armería River flows westward into the Pacific Ocean, supporting agricultural irrigation and aquatic habitats. The region's tropical climate and seasonal rainfall influence the plant's operational demands, particularly during the wet season when inflow may increase.

The treated effluent from Cerro Colorado likely enters a local tributary of the Armería River, which flows through the state of Colima and discharges into the Pacific Ocean near the town of Armería. The Armería River basin supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agricultural irrigation. Downstream, the coastal zone includes mangroves and estuaries that are ecologically sensitive, requiring careful management of nutrient and pollutant loads to prevent eutrophication and habitat degradation.