Cotorina Wastewater Treatment Plant, Aguascalientes, Mexico

Cotorina is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Municipio de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico. It serves a small population of 1,278 residents, reflecting its role in local sanitation infrastructure. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal zones, and its operations are part of the broader water management system in the region. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 345.60 volume units and a current discharge volume of 120.96, the facility operates below its maximum capacity. Under Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996), secondary treatment is typical for plants of this scale to meet discharge standards for receiving water bodies. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Pacific Ocean via the Lerma-Santiago basin. The plant helps protect downstream ecosystems, including rivers and reservoirs that support agriculture and biodiversity in the region. Its operation contributes to reducing pollution loads in the watershed.

The plant discharges into the Lerma-Santiago basin, which flows into the Pacific Ocean via the Rio Grande de Santiago. This watershed supports irrigated agriculture and provides habitat for aquatic species. The plant's secondary treatment helps mitigate nutrient and organic pollution, protecting downstream water quality in a region where water resources are critical for both human use and ecological health.