Overview
Paredes de Coura wastewater treatment plant in Infesta, Portugal serves 3,700 people with advanced treatment. It discharges 616.90 volume units daily, with a designed capacity of 3,853.00.
The Paredes de Coura wastewater treatment plant is located in Infesta, within the municipality of Paredes de Coura in the Viana do Castelo district of northern Portugal. The facility serves a population of approximately 3,700 residents, reflecting a small to medium agglomeration under Portuguese and EU classifications. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 3,853.00 volume units and an average daily discharge of 616.90 volume units, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating robust infrastructure for current demand. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Atlantic Ocean via the Minho River basin. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the sensitive ecosystems of the region, including the Coura River and its tributaries, which support diverse aquatic life and contribute to the ecological health of the Minho estuary.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Coura River, a tributary of the Minho River, which forms the border between Portugal and Spain before flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. The Minho estuary is an ecologically sensitive area that supports diverse fish and bird species, including migratory populations. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading and protects downstream water quality in this important coastal watershed.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Infesta, within the municipality of Paredes de Coura, in the Viana do Castelo district of northern Portugal.
The plant serves a population of approximately 3,700 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU wastewater directives.
The plant uses advanced treatment processes, which provide higher levels of pollutant removal than standard secondary treatment, ensuring high-quality effluent discharge.
The plant discharges into the Coura River, a tributary of the Minho River. The Minho flows into the Atlantic Ocean, and the plant's advanced treatment helps protect this river system and the Minho estuary.
As a Portuguese plant serving fewer than 10,000 people, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment as a minimum. The plant exceeds this by providing advanced treatment.
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