LousAE Pcvoa Wastewater Treatment Plant, Alvares, Portugal

LousAE Pcvoa is a wastewater treatment plant located in Alvares, within the municipality of Góis, Coimbra district, Portugal. The plant serves a population of approximately 11,340 people, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category under Portuguese and EU regulations. Its inland location, more than 50 km from the Atlantic coast, influences its discharge and environmental management approach. As a plant serving over 10,000 population equivalent, it falls under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment as a minimum standard. The regulatory framework ensures that plants of this scale meet appropriate treatment levels to protect receiving waters. The plant's capacity and operational status are managed within the national permitting system overseen by Portuguese water authorities. The treated effluent from LousAE Pcvoa ultimately discharges into the local watershed, which drains into the Zêzere River, a major tributary of the Tagus River. The Tagus flows westward through central Portugal and into the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. This river system supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional water supply and agriculture. The plant plays a key role in maintaining water quality in this ecologically sensitive basin.

LousAE Pcvoa discharges into the local watershed that feeds the Zêzere River, a tributary of the Tagus River. The Tagus River flows through central Portugal and into the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. The river system supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional water supply and agriculture. The plant's location in the mountainous interior of Coimbra district means its discharge contributes to maintaining water quality in a region characterized by forested landscapes and rural communities.