Overview
Macieira de Rates secondary treatment plant serves 3,300 people in Barcelos, Portugal. It discharges 550.21 m³/day of treated wastewater within 10 km of the Atlantic coast.
Macieira de Rates is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the parish of Macieira de Rates, within the municipality of Barcelos, in the Braga district of northern Portugal. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,300 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Portuguese and EU regulations. The facility provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for discharges into coastal waters. The plant has a designed capacity of 3,300 m³/day and currently treats an average daily flow of 550.21 m³, indicating significant spare capacity. As a coastal plant within 10 km of the Atlantic Ocean, it must comply with stringent discharge standards to protect marine water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into the Atlantic Ocean via the local coastal watershed. The receiving waters are part of the North Atlantic ecosystem, which supports diverse marine life including commercial fish species and migratory birds. The plant's operation helps protect the coastal environment from nutrient pollution and pathogens, contributing to the ecological health of the region's beaches and nearshore habitats.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Atlantic Ocean near the Costa Verde region of northern Portugal. The coastal waters are part of the Iberian Atlantic shelf, a productive marine area supporting fisheries and biodiversity. The discharge point is within the drainage basin of the Cávado River, which flows into the Atlantic near Esposende. The plant's secondary treatment removes organic matter and solids, reducing the risk of eutrophication and bacterial contamination in the nearshore zone, which is important for both ecological integrity and recreational use.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in the parish of Macieira de Rates, in the municipality of Barcelos, Braga district, northern Portugal.
The plant serves approximately 3,300 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU regulations.
The treated effluent is discharged into the Atlantic Ocean, as the plant is located within 10 km of the coast.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for discharges into coastal waters.
As a Portuguese plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), transposed into national law. For small agglomerations like this, secondary treatment is typically sufficient unless the receiving water is a sensitive area.
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