Vila Verde Wastewater Treatment Plant, Terrugem, Portugal

Vila Verde is a wastewater treatment plant located in Terrugem, within the Sintra municipality of the Lisbon district, Portugal. The facility serves a population of approximately 2,500 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Portuguese and EU regulations. The plant is situated near the Atlantic coast, less than 10 km inland, in a region characterized by urban and suburban development. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater and estuarine discharges from agglomerations of this size. The designed capacity is 3,000 m³/day, and the current discharge volume is 416.83 m³/day, indicating operational headroom. As a Portuguese facility, it operates under national water legislation that transposes EU directives, with oversight by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA). The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that flow into the Atlantic Ocean, contributing to the Tagus River estuary and coastal marine environment. The region supports diverse aquatic life and is important for migratory bird species. Proper treatment helps protect coastal water quality and recreational beaches in the Lisbon area.

The plant discharges into small streams that drain into the Tagus River estuary, a major Atlantic coastal ecosystem. The estuary supports diverse fish and bird populations and is an important migratory corridor. The nearby Atlantic coast includes popular beaches and marine habitats sensitive to nutrient pollution, making effective wastewater treatment critical for local water quality.