Overview
Arcos de la Frontera wastewater treatment plant serves 27,000 people in Andalusia, Spain. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this scale.
The Arcos de la Frontera wastewater treatment plant is located in the Sierra de Cádiz region of Andalusia, Spain, serving a population of approximately 27,000 residents. The facility is part of the municipal infrastructure of Arcos de la Frontera, a historic town in the province of Cádiz. As a medium-sized agglomeration serving over 10,000 people, the plant is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC. This directive requires secondary treatment for discharges to freshwater and estuaries, with more stringent tertiary treatment in sensitive areas. The plant's treatment process and capacity are designed to meet these regulatory standards, ensuring compliance with Spanish and European water quality objectives. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Guadalete River basin and flows into the Bay of Cádiz on the Atlantic coast. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor in the region. The plant plays a key role in protecting water quality in this sensitive coastal area.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Guadalete River basin, which flows into the Bay of Cádiz on the Atlantic coast of Spain. This coastal zone supports diverse marine and estuarine habitats, including seagrass beds and migratory bird populations. The treatment plant helps maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive area, reducing nutrient and pollutant loads that could otherwise impact the bay's biodiversity and fisheries.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Arcos de la Frontera, in the Sierra de Cádiz region of Andalusia, Spain, at Calle Gil Vicente, Urbanización La Gallarda.
The plant serves approximately 27,000 residents of Arcos de la Frontera and surrounding areas.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Guadalete River basin and ultimately reaches the Bay of Cádiz on the Atlantic coast.
As a Spanish plant serving over 10,000 people, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment and, if in a sensitive area, tertiary treatment.
Under the EU UWWTD, agglomerations of this size are required to have at least secondary biological treatment. In sensitive areas like coastal zones, additional nutrient removal may be mandated.
Nearby plants