Jose Maria Morelos Wastewater Treatment Plant, Chinacates, Durango, Mexico

Jose Maria Morelos is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Chinacates, within the municipality of Santiago Papasquiaro, Durango, Mexico. The plant serves a small population of around 1,595 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or semi-urban community. Its location in the Sierra Madre Occidental region influences local water management practices. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process for removing organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 362.88 cubic meters per day and an actual discharge volume of 164.16 cubic meters per day, the plant operates below its full capacity. Mexican wastewater treatment plants are regulated under the National Water Law (Ley de Aguas Nacionales) and NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which set discharge limits for pollutants. The treated effluent from the plant likely drains into local streams or arroyos that eventually feed into the Rio San Pedro or other tributaries of the Rio Nazas basin. This watershed is ecologically important for agriculture and supports diverse aquatic life in the semi-arid region of northern Mexico. Proper treatment helps protect downstream water quality and public health.

The plant discharges into the Rio Nazas basin, which flows through Durango and Coahuila before reaching the Laguna de Mayran, an endorheic lagoon system. This watershed supports irrigated agriculture and provides habitat for migratory birds and endemic fish species. Secondary treatment reduces organic load and suspended solids, helping maintain water quality in a region where water resources are scarce and ecologically sensitive.