San Miguel de Cruces Wastewater Treatment Plant, Atoyaderos, Durango

San Miguel de Cruces is a wastewater treatment plant located in Atoyaderos, within the municipality of San Dimas, Durango, Mexico. The plant serves a small population of 913 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or semi-urban setting. It operates under Mexico's national water regulations, which mandate treatment standards for communities of this size. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 219.46 volume units and a current discharge volume of 190.94, the facility operates below its full capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Pacific Ocean via the region's river systems. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality in the Sierra Madre Occidental foothills, supporting aquatic ecosystems and preventing untreated sewage from entering the environment.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow through the mountainous terrain of Durango, eventually reaching the Pacific slope. The receiving waters support diverse aquatic life in a region characterized by seasonal rainfall and forested watersheds. Protecting these water bodies from untreated wastewater is critical for maintaining ecological balance and downstream water quality.