ALCANTARILLA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Murcia, Spain

The ALCANTARILLA wastewater treatment plant is located in the Murcia metropolitan area, within the Region de Murcia, Spain. It serves a population of approximately 79,849, classifying it as a medium-to-large agglomeration under EU regulations. The plant is situated inland, more than 50 km from the coast, and its operations are integral to the region's water management infrastructure. As a facility serving over 10,000 people, the plant is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which mandates secondary treatment as a minimum standard. For agglomerations of this size discharging into sensitive areas, tertiary treatment may be required. The plant's designed capacity is 1. The regulatory framework ensures that the plant meets appropriate discharge standards to protect receiving waters. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Segura River basin. The Segura River flows into the Mediterranean Sea via the Mar Menor coastal lagoon, a ecologically sensitive area that supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The plant's performance is critical to maintaining water quality in this downstream environment.

The plant discharges into the Segura River basin, which flows into the Mar Menor, a coastal lagoon on the Mediterranean Sea. This lagoon is an ecologically sensitive area that supports diverse aquatic life, including seagrass meadows and fish nurseries, and serves as an important stopover for migratory birds. Nutrient and pollutant loads from upstream sources, including wastewater treatment plants, can impact the lagoon's water quality and ecological balance.