Montitlán Wastewater Treatment Plant, Colima, Mexico

Montitlán is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the town of Montitlán, Cuauhtémoc municipality, Colima, Mexico. The facility serves a small population of 548 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or peri-urban community. It operates under Mexico's national water regulatory framework, which sets discharge standards for municipal wastewater. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small agglomerations in Mexico. Its designed capacity is 172.80 m³/day, with an actual discharge volume of 51.84 m³/day, indicating it operates well below capacity. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the Pacific Ocean via the Armería River basin. The region's watershed supports agricultural activities and diverse aquatic life. Proper treatment helps protect downstream water quality and ecosystems in the coastal zone of Colima.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Armería River, which flows westward through Colima state to the Pacific Ocean. The Armería River basin supports irrigated agriculture and provides habitat for freshwater species. The coastal zone near the river mouth includes estuaries and mangrove areas that are ecologically sensitive. Effective wastewater treatment is essential to prevent nutrient loading and protect marine water quality in the Pacific coastal region.