Paticajo Zona Oriente Wastewater Treatment Plant, Paticajo, Colima, Mexico

Paticajo Zona Oriente is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the town of Paticajo, within the municipality of Minatitlán, Colima, Mexico. The plant serves a small population of 638 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or semi-urban community. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996) for discharges to rivers and streams. It has a designed capacity of 129.60 m³/day and currently discharges 103.68 m³/day of treated wastewater, indicating operational utilization of about 80%. The treated effluent is likely discharged into a local watercourse that eventually drains into the Pacific Ocean via the Armería River basin. The region's tropical climate and proximity to the coast make proper wastewater treatment essential for protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems and coastal water quality.

The plant's discharge likely enters a tributary of the Armería River, which flows westward into the Pacific Ocean near the town of Armería. This coastal watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for local fisheries and agriculture. Proper secondary treatment helps reduce organic load and pathogens, safeguarding downstream water quality and the ecological health of the river and coastal zone.