Overview
BARBATE wastewater treatment plant serves the municipality of Barbate in Andalucía, Spain, with a designed capacity of 1.00 and a population equivalent of 36,860. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The BARBATE wastewater treatment plant is located in Barbate, a coastal town in the province of Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 36,860 people, classifying it as a medium agglomeration under EU regulations. As a Spanish facility, the plant is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. Spain's national transposition of the directive requires compliance with discharge standards for biological oxygen demand, suspended solids, and nutrients where applicable. The plant's location near the coast may also trigger additional requirements for sensitive areas. The treated effluent from BARBATE is discharged into the local environment, ultimately reaching the Atlantic Ocean via the Barbate River estuary. The area supports diverse marine and coastal ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and fish nurseries. Proper treatment is essential to protect water quality in the adjacent coastal zone, which is important for tourism and fisheries.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Barbate River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean near the Strait of Gibraltar. This coastal region supports ecologically sensitive habitats, including seagrass beds and migratory bird routes. The receiving waters are part of a dynamic marine environment influenced by Atlantic currents and upwelling, which sustain rich biodiversity. Effective wastewater treatment is critical to prevent nutrient enrichment and protect the ecological balance of the estuary and coastal zone.
Frequently asked questions
The BARBATE plant is located in Barbate, a coastal town in the province of Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain. Its address is Carretera de Barbate a Zahara de los Atunes, Residencial Las Pérgolas, El Cañillo, Barbate.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 36,860 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The treated effluent is discharged into the Barbate River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean near the Strait of Gibraltar. The discharge point is in a coastal area with sensitive marine ecosystems.
As a Spanish facility, the plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations over 10,000 population equivalent. Spain's national regulations implement these standards.
For medium agglomerations like Barbate, the EU directive mandates secondary treatment. In coastal areas, additional nutrient removal may be required to protect sensitive marine environments. Spanish plants typically use activated sludge or similar biological processes.
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