ANTELLA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Cotes, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain

ANTELLA is a wastewater treatment plant located in Cotes, within the Ribera Alta comarca of Valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain. It serves a population of 1,893 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU regulations. The plant is situated inland, more than 10 km from the coast, but within 50 km of the Mediterranean Sea. 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 is 2,333.00 m³/day, with an actual discharge volume of 244.00 m³/day, indicating significant spare capacity. As a Spanish facility, it operates under national regulations that transpose the EU directive, overseen by the regional water authority in the Júcar River Basin District. The treated effluent is discharged into the local water system, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the Júcar River basin. The receiving waters support diverse aquatic life and are part of a region known for agricultural irrigation and ecological sensitivity. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality and the coastal environment.

The plant discharges into the Júcar River basin, which flows eastward into the Mediterranean Sea near Cullera. The lower Júcar River and its coastal wetlands provide habitat for migratory birds and support irrigated agriculture. The region's semi-arid climate makes water quality management critical for both ecological health and human use. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollution and nutrient loads, protecting the river and coastal waters from eutrophication.