General Mariano Matamoros Wastewater Treatment Plant, Durango, Mexico

General Mariano Matamoros is a wastewater treatment plant located in the municipality of Durango, Durango, Mexico. It serves a small population of 585 residents, providing essential sanitation services for this community. The plant is situated inland, more than 10 km from the coast, but within 50 km of coastal areas. The facility employs secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process for removing organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 129.60 cubic meters per day and an actual discharge volume of 112.32 cubic meters per day, the plant operates below its capacity. Under Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996), secondary treatment is required for municipal wastewater 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 Nazas River basin. The plant plays a crucial role in protecting downstream water quality and ecosystems, particularly in the semi-arid region of Durango where water resources are limited and sensitive to pollution.

The plant discharges into the Nazas River basin, which flows through the arid and semi-arid landscapes of Durango before reaching the Pacific Ocean. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important water source for agriculture and local communities. The region's limited rainfall makes the receiving waters particularly sensitive to pollution, emphasizing the need for effective wastewater treatment to maintain ecological balance.