ARDALES Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ardales, Andalucía, Spain

ARDALES is a wastewater treatment plant located in Ardales, a municipality in the province of Málaga, Andalucía, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 5,500 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU regulations. It is situated inland, more than 10 km from the coast, and treats wastewater to an advanced level. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 5,500 m³/day, and it currently discharges 996.86 m³/day of treated effluent. As a Spanish facility, it operates under national regulations that transpose EU directives, with permits issued by the regional water authority (Confederación Hidrográfica). The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that eventually drains into the Guadalhorce River basin, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea near Málaga. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local watershed and downstream aquatic ecosystems, including the Guadalhorce River and its associated wetlands, which support diverse bird species and other wildlife.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Guadalhorce River, which flows through the Guadalteba region and ultimately reaches the Mediterranean Sea near Málaga. The Guadalhorce basin supports important habitats for migratory birds and endemic fish species. The advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protect the ecological integrity of the river and coastal waters.