Aldeanueva de la Vera Wastewater Treatment Plant, Extremadura, Spain

The Aldeanueva de la Vera wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Aldeanueva de la Vera, in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. It serves a population of approximately 5,200 residents, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under Spanish and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. The designed capacity of 5,200 m³/day matches the population served, and the actual discharge volume is 942.49 m³/day, indicating operational headroom. The treated effluent is discharged into the local river system, which flows through the Vera valley and eventually joins the Tiétar River, a tributary of the Tagus River. The Tagus River drains into the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. The plant plays a key role in protecting the ecological health of these water bodies from untreated sewage.

The plant discharges into the local river network within the Tagus River basin. The Tiétar River, a major tributary, supports diverse aquatic life and is important for irrigation and recreation in the region. Downstream, the Tagus River flows through central Spain and Portugal, eventually reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollution and nutrient loads, safeguarding water quality for downstream communities and ecosystems.