Zacualpan I Wastewater Treatment Plant - Zacualpan, Colima, Mexico

Zacualpan I is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Zacualpan, within the municipality of Comala, Colima, Mexico. The plant serves a small population of 1,241 residents, providing secondary treatment to manage local domestic wastewater. Its designed capacity is 259.20 cubic meters per day, with an actual discharge volume of 172.80 cubic meters per day. As a secondary treatment plant, Zacualpan I employs biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, meeting typical Mexican regulatory standards for such facilities. In Mexico, wastewater treatment plants are regulated under the National Water Law (Ley de Aguas Nacionales) and NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which sets discharge limits for pollutants. For small communities like Zacualpan, secondary treatment is appropriate and commonly implemented. The treated effluent from Zacualpan I is discharged into local water bodies that eventually drain into the Pacific Ocean via the Armeria River basin. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream ecosystems, including coastal lagoons and marine habitats, by reducing pollutant loads from domestic sources. Its operation supports water quality in the region, which is important for agriculture and biodiversity in Colima.

The plant discharges into the Armeria River basin, which flows through Colima state and empties into the Pacific Ocean near the Manzanillo Bay. This coastal watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including mangrove ecosystems and estuarine habitats that are critical for fish and bird species. The secondary treatment provided by Zacualpan I helps mitigate nutrient and pathogen pollution, safeguarding downstream water quality and the ecological health of the coastal zone.