Fraccionamiento La Huerta Vieja Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco

Fraccionamiento La Huerta Vieja is a wastewater treatment plant located in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, within the state of Jalisco, Mexico. The facility serves a population of approximately 6,924 residents, classifying it as a small to medium-sized agglomeration. The plant is situated in the Región Centro region, near Lake Chapala, Mexico's largest freshwater lake. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996) for municipal wastewater before discharge into water bodies. The designed capacity is 864 m³/day, with a discharge volume of 864 m³/day, indicating full utilization. As a secondary treatment facility, it removes organic matter and suspended solids but does not include advanced nutrient removal. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into Lake Chapala, a critical freshwater resource for the region. Lake Chapala supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for irrigation, drinking, and recreation. The plant's proximity to the lake underscores the importance of effective treatment to protect water quality and ecosystem health.

The plant discharges into the Lake Chapala basin, the largest freshwater lake in Mexico. The lake supports a rich ecosystem, including endemic fish species and migratory birds. Downstream, the lake's outflow feeds the Santiago River, which flows to the Pacific Ocean. Protecting water quality in this watershed is vital for regional biodiversity and human use.