Baños de la Encina Wastewater Treatment Plant, Andalucía, Spain

The Baños de la Encina wastewater treatment plant is located in the province of Jaén, within the autonomous community of Andalucía, Spain. It serves the town of Baños de la Encina, situated in the Sierra Morena region. The plant is designed to handle a capacity of 3,300 cubic meters per day and treats wastewater for a population of approximately 3,287 residents. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant employs biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations with a population equivalent between 2,000 and 10,000 are required to have secondary treatment. The plant's discharge volume is reported at 595.76 cubic meters per day. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Guadalquivir River basin. The Guadalquivir River flows through Andalucía and empties into the Atlantic Ocean near Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the region's rivers and downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into the Guadalquivir River basin, which is the major river system in Andalucía. The Guadalquivir flows through diverse landscapes, including agricultural areas and natural parks, before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The river supports a variety of aquatic life and is important for irrigation and drinking water supply. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, contributing to the ecological health of the downstream environment.