Alfandega da Fe, Alfândega da Fé

Overview

Alfandega da Fe is a secondary wastewater treatment plant serving 2,500 people in Alfândega da Fé, Bragança, Portugal. It discharges 416.83 m³/day of treated effluent.

Alfandega da Fe is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Alfândega da Fé, a town in the Bragança district of northern Portugal. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,500 residents, reflecting the scale of a small agglomeration in a rural inland setting. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The designed capacity is 2,784 m³/day, and the current discharge volume is 416.83 m³/day, indicating operational headroom. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Douro River basin, which flows westward to the Atlantic Ocean near Porto. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's water quality and supporting downstream ecosystems.

Environmental context

The plant discharges into small streams that feed into the Douro River basin, one of the Iberian Peninsula's major river systems. The Douro flows through Portugal's wine-producing Douro Valley and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is ecologically sensitive, particularly in its lower reaches where migratory fish species such as lamprey and shad are present. Proper treatment helps maintain water quality in this important basin.

Frequently asked questions

The plant is located at Rua da Sobreira, Alfândega da Fé, in the Bragança district of northern Portugal.

The plant serves approximately 2,500 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU wastewater directives.

The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that flow into the Douro River basin, eventually reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for agglomerations of this size.

As a Portuguese plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for small agglomerations and requires compliance with national water quality standards.