Barrañán Arteixo Wastewater Treatment Plant, Arteixo, Galicia, Spain

Barrañán Arteixo is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in the parish of Vioño, in the municipality of Arteixo, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,142 residents, making it a small-scale facility within the region's wastewater infrastructure. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day and an actual discharge volume of about 402.45 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. As a Spanish plant, it operates under the national transposition of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires appropriate treatment for discharges into sensitive areas. The treated effluent is discharged into the Atlantic Ocean, as the plant is located within 10 kilometers of the coast. The receiving waters support diverse marine life and are part of the broader Galician coastal ecosystem, which includes important fishing grounds and shellfish beds. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect this sensitive coastal environment from nutrient pollution.

The plant discharges into the Atlantic Ocean near the Costa da Morte, a rugged coastline known for its rich marine biodiversity. The waters support commercial fisheries and shellfish harvesting, making nutrient control critical. The plant's advanced treatment reduces the risk of eutrophication in this coastal zone, which ultimately connects to the broader North Atlantic ecosystem.