Overview
Macedo de Cavaleiros wastewater treatment plant serves 8,000 people in Bragança, Portugal. It discharges into the local watershed, ultimately draining to the Douro River basin.
The Macedo de Cavaleiros wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Macedo de Cavaleiros, in the Bragança district of northern Portugal. The facility serves a population of approximately 8,000 residents, making it a small to medium agglomeration under Portuguese and EU classification. As a Portuguese plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size discharging into freshwater. The regulatory framework ensures appropriate treatment standards are met. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that flows into the Sabor River, a tributary of the Douro River. The Douro River basin is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing water for agriculture and human consumption downstream. The plant plays a key role in protecting water quality in this region.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a local stream that feeds into the Sabor River, which flows into the Douro River. The Douro River is one of the Iberian Peninsula's major rivers, draining into the Atlantic Ocean at Porto. The watershed supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish species such as trout and barbel, and is an important resource for irrigation and drinking water. Protecting water quality in this basin is critical for both ecological health and human use.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located at Caminho do Ginço, Macedo de Cavaleiros, in the Bragança district of northern Portugal.
The plant serves approximately 8,000 people, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under EU regulations.
Treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that flows into the Sabor River, a tributary of the Douro River, which ultimately reaches the Atlantic Ocean.
As a Portuguese facility, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size discharging into freshwater.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, plants serving between 2,000 and 10,000 population equivalents in freshwater areas are typically required to provide secondary treatment, which involves biological processes to remove organic matter and nutrients.
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