Alcázar del Rey Wastewater Treatment Plant, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

The Alcázar del Rey wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Alcázar del Rey, in the Castilla-La Mancha region of central Spain. This facility serves a small population of approximately 224 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. The plant is situated along the N-400A road, providing essential sanitation services to the local area. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. While the directive mandates secondary treatment for populations between 2,000 and 10,000, smaller communities like Alcázar del Rey are also expected to provide appropriate treatment to protect water quality. The plant treats an average daily flow of 82.00 cubic meters, indicating a modest but consistent operational scale. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse, which eventually drains into the Tagus River basin, one of the most important river systems in Spain. The Tagus River flows westward through central Spain and into Portugal, ultimately reaching the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. The plant's operations contribute to protecting the ecological health of this regional watershed, supporting aquatic life and downstream water quality.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Tagus River basin, which flows through central Spain and into Portugal before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The Tagus River supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and is a critical water resource for agriculture and urban areas. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and nutrients, protecting the river's ecological balance and preventing eutrophication in downstream reservoirs and estuaries.