Integrated solutions to improve wastewater quality in Mendoza and Santiago River Basin

ABSTRACT

This study compares water quality governance in the Mendoza and Santiago River Basins, examining the impact of distinct policies and institutional structures in Argentina and Mexico. Despite differing climates, both basins share challenges such as sedimentation, agricultural runoff, and industrial discharges. We evaluate the impact of recent legislative reforms, highlighting positive outcomes in Mendoza, whereas Santiago faces institutional challenges. This research underscores the need for integrated solutions to address basin-specific challenges, including legislative reforms, stakeholder engagement, and innovative monitoring.

KEYWORDS:

• Wastewater
• water quality
• water management
• water legislation
• regulatory solutions
• Mendoza River Basin
• Santiago River Basin

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Francisco Navarrete and Manuel Schmelzle who generously contributed to the earlier versions of this document and an extensive acknowledgement to Dr. Ing. Ingrid Althoff from the University of Siegen (Germany) for fostering multidisciplinary collaboration within the region.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. BOD5, biochemical oxygen demand; COD, chemical oxygen demand; TSS, total suspended solids; CF, coliforms; E_COLI, Escherichia coli; ENTEROC, Enterococci; OD%, oxygen dissolved percentage; TOX, toxicity.