Overview
Salir de Matos wastewater treatment plant in Caldas da Rainha, Portugal, serves 3,000 people with secondary treatment. It discharges approximately 500 m³/day and is located within 10 km of the Atlantic coast.
Salir de Matos is a wastewater treatment plant located in the parish of Salir de Matos, near Caldas da Rainha in the Leiria district of Portugal. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,000 people, placing it in the small agglomeration category under Portuguese and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. The designed capacity is 3,000 m³/day, and the reported discharge volume is around 500 m³/day, indicating operational headroom. Treated effluent from the plant ultimately reaches the Atlantic Ocean, as the region drains westward through small coastal streams. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means its discharge contributes to the nutrient load in coastal waters, which can affect local marine ecosystems and bathing water quality.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local watercourses that flow into the Atlantic Ocean near the Costa de Prata region. This coastal area supports diverse marine life and is important for tourism and fisheries. Nutrient inputs from wastewater can contribute to eutrophication in coastal zones, making effective treatment critical for maintaining water quality and ecosystem health.
Frequently asked questions
Salir de Matos WWTP is located in the parish of Salir de Matos, near Caldas da Rainha in the Leiria district of Portugal. The full address is Rua do Salão, Guisado, Salir de Matos, Caldas da Rainha, Leiria, 2500-633, Portugal.
The plant serves a population of approximately 3,000 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU wastewater regulations.
The plant provides secondary treatment and discharges treated effluent into local watercourses that flow toward the Atlantic Ocean. The reported discharge volume is about 500 m³ per day.
As a Portuguese plant, Salir de Matos operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size discharging into freshwater or coastal waters.
For small agglomerations (under 10,000 population equivalent) in Portugal, secondary treatment is typically required by EU directives. This involves biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge.
Nearby plants