ALBARRACIN Wastewater Treatment Plant: Serving Albarracín, Aragón, Spain

The ALBARRACIN wastewater treatment plant is located in the Sierra de Albarracín region of Teruel, Aragón, Spain. It serves the historic town of Albarracín and surrounding areas, with a population equivalent of 4,850. The plant is situated inland, far from coastal waters, and its treated effluent is discharged into the local river system. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations with a population equivalent between 2,000 and 10,000. The designed capacity of 2,200 m³/day indicates the facility is sized appropriately for its service area. The current discharge volume of 879.05 m³/day suggests operational capacity utilization is well within design limits. The treated wastewater is discharged into a receiving water body that ultimately drains into the Ebro River basin, one of Spain's major river systems. The Sierra de Albarracín is a mountainous area with sensitive aquatic ecosystems, and the plant's secondary treatment helps protect downstream water quality. The region's karstic geology and seasonal rainfall patterns influence the hydrological regime of local streams.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Guadalaviar River, which flows into the Turia River and eventually reaches the Mediterranean Sea near Valencia. The Sierra de Albarracín is a headwater region with ecologically sensitive streams supporting native trout and other aquatic species. Secondary treatment reduces organic load and suspended solids, helping maintain water quality in this karstic landscape where groundwater and surface water are closely connected.