Overview
ALBURQUERQUE wastewater treatment plant serves the town of Alburquerque in Extremadura, Spain. It handles wastewater from a population of approximately 11,900.
The ALBURQUERQUE wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Alburquerque, within the province of Badajoz in the Extremadura region of Spain. The facility serves a population of around 11,900 residents, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under European Union regulations. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations of this size are generally required to provide secondary treatment. The plant operates within Spain's national regulatory framework, which implements the directive through Royal Decree-Law 11/1995 and subsequent legislation. Compliance is overseen by regional water authorities. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Guadiana River basin. The Guadiana River flows westward through Extremadura and into the Gulf of Cádiz (Atlantic Ocean). The region's Mediterranean-continental climate with seasonal droughts makes water quality management particularly important for maintaining ecological health in the receiving streams.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into tributaries of the Guadiana River, one of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula. The Guadiana flows through Extremadura and into the Gulf of Cádiz, supporting diverse aquatic ecosystems including important fish populations and riparian habitats. The region's seasonal water scarcity means that treated effluent contributes to base flows in local streams, making nutrient removal and oxygen demand control critical for downstream ecological health.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Alburquerque, in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain.
The plant serves approximately 11,900 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU standards.
Treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that are part of the Guadiana River basin, eventually reaching the Gulf of Cádiz in the Atlantic Ocean.
The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), transposed into Spanish law, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, agglomerations between 10,000 and 150,000 population equivalent are required to provide secondary treatment, unless discharging into sensitive areas requiring tertiary treatment.
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