Overview
Santa Cita wastewater treatment plant serves Tomar, Portugal, with a population equivalent of 77,000. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this scale.
Santa Cita is a wastewater treatment plant located in Tomar, Santarém District, Portugal. Serving a population equivalent of 77,000, the plant is part of the municipal wastewater infrastructure for the Tomar area. The facility is situated inland, approximately 50 km from the Atlantic coast, and discharges into the local watershed. As a plant serving a medium-to-large agglomeration in Portugal, Santa Cita is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). This directive requires secondary treatment for all discharges from agglomerations of over 15,000 population equivalent, and more advanced treatment if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas. The plant's treatment processes are expected to meet these standards, ensuring compliance with European environmental regulations. The treated effluent from Santa Cita likely discharges into the Nabão River, a tributary of the Zêzere River, which flows into the Tagus River and ultimately reaches the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. The Tagus estuary is a vital ecological zone, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a key migratory corridor for birds. The plant's operations play a crucial role in protecting water quality in this downstream environment.
Environmental context
Santa Cita discharges into the Nabão River, a tributary of the Zêzere River, which joins the Tagus River before flowing into the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. The Tagus estuary is a highly productive ecosystem that supports diverse fish and bird species, including migratory waterfowl. The plant's treatment performance is critical to maintaining water quality in this ecologically sensitive watershed.
Frequently asked questions
Santa Cita is located in Tomar, Santarém District, Portugal, at Rua da Estação, Madalena e Beselga.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 77,000 people in the Tomar area.
The treated effluent is discharged into the Nabão River, a tributary of the Zêzere River, which flows into the Tagus River and eventually reaches the Atlantic Ocean.
As a Portuguese plant serving over 15,000 population equivalent, Santa Cita operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment and potentially advanced treatment if the receiving waters are sensitive.
For agglomerations of this size, the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive mandates secondary treatment as a minimum. In sensitive areas, tertiary treatment for nutrient removal may be required to protect downstream water bodies like the Tagus estuary.
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