Tanque de Peña Wastewater Treatment Plant, La Piedad de Cabadas, Michoacán

Tanque de Peña is a wastewater treatment plant located in La Piedad de Cabadas, within the state of Michoacán, Mexico. The facility serves a small population of approximately 1,416 residents, reflecting its role in managing domestic wastewater for a localized community. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge. The plant operates with a designed capacity of 216.00 volume units and currently treats a discharge volume of 216.00 volume units, indicating full utilization of its capacity. Under Mexican regulations (NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996 and subsequent updates), secondary treatment is the standard for municipal wastewater to meet water quality criteria for receiving water bodies. The plant's treatment process aligns with these national standards, ensuring compliance with discharge limits. The treated effluent from Tanque de Peña is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Lerma River basin, a major hydrological system in central Mexico. The Lerma River flows into Lake Chapala, Mexico's largest freshwater lake, which supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for irrigation and human consumption. The plant's operation helps protect downstream water quality in this ecologically significant basin.

The plant discharges into the Lerma River basin, which flows into Lake Chapala, Mexico's largest freshwater lake. Lake Chapala supports a rich ecosystem, including endemic fish species and migratory birds. The Lerma-Chapala basin is a critical water resource for agriculture and urban supply in the region, making effective wastewater treatment essential for maintaining water quality and ecological balance.