ALCUDIA DE GUADIX ESFILIANA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Valle del Zalabí, Andalucía

ALCUDIA DE GUADIX ESFILIANA is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Valle del Zalabí, within the Comarca de Guadix, Granada, Andalucía, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,646 people, reflecting its role in managing municipal wastewater for this inland community in southern Spain. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 5,000 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 842.08 m³/day, the facility operates well within its capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), plants serving agglomerations under 10,000 population equivalent (PE) are typically required to provide secondary treatment; however, advanced treatment may be mandated in sensitive areas or to meet local environmental standards. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the Guadix basin and the Guadiana Menor River. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality and supports the ecological health of the region's rivers and coastal waters.

The plant discharges into the Guadix basin, part of the Guadiana Menor River system, which flows into the Guadalquivir River and eventually reaches the Gulf of Cádiz in the Atlantic Ocean. This inland watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for irrigation and local ecosystems. Advanced treatment at the plant reduces nutrient loading, helping to prevent eutrophication in downstream water bodies.