BALSARENY Wastewater Treatment Plant, Balsareny, Catalunya, Spain

BALSARENY is a wastewater treatment plant located in Balsareny, a municipality in the comarca of Bages, province of Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain. The plant serves a population of 3,633 and is part of the region's municipal wastewater infrastructure, operating under Spanish and European Union regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. It has a designed capacity of 9,375 m³/day and currently discharges 800.70 m³/day of treated effluent. The plant's location in the Llobregat river corridor places it within a sensitive inland watershed. The treated effluent is discharged into the local water system, which drains into the Llobregat River, a major watercourse in Catalunya that flows into the Mediterranean Sea near Barcelona. The plant plays a key role in protecting the Llobregat basin from pollution, supporting downstream ecosystems and water quality for agricultural and urban uses.

The plant discharges into the Llobregat River basin, which flows through central Catalunya and empties into the Mediterranean Sea at Barcelona. The Llobregat is a vital water source for the region, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing irrigation for agriculture. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic load and nutrients, protecting the river's ecological health and preventing eutrophication in the coastal zone.