Bahia Feliz Wastewater Treatment Plant, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Canary Islands

Bahia Feliz is a wastewater treatment plant located in the coastal town of Playa del Águila, within the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana on Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. The plant serves the local population and the significant tourist influx that characterizes this region of the island. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for discharges into coastal waters. While the designed capacity is 2,560 cubic meters per day, the actual discharge volume averages 520.91 cubic meters per day, indicating operational headroom. The plant operates within Spain's national water regulatory framework, overseen by the Canary Islands Water Authority. Treated effluent is discharged into the Atlantic Ocean via a coastal outfall. The surrounding marine environment supports diverse ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and rocky reef habitats. The Canary Islands are a biodiversity hotspot, and proper wastewater treatment is critical to protecting coastal water quality and marine life from nutrient enrichment and pathogens.

The plant discharges into the Atlantic Ocean off the southeast coast of Gran Canaria. This coastal zone is part of the Macaronesian biogeographic region, known for its unique marine biodiversity. The discharge area supports seagrass meadows and rocky reef ecosystems that are sensitive to nutrient loading. Proper treatment helps prevent eutrophication and protects the ecological integrity of the coastal waters, which are also important for tourism and recreation.