BELCHITE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Belchite, Aragón, Spain

The BELCHITE wastewater treatment plant is located in Belchite, a municipality in the Campo de Belchite comarca of Zaragoza province, Aragón, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,060 people and has a designed capacity of 2,175 cubic meters per day. It provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for agglomerations of this size. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant uses biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharging treated effluent. The plant operates under Spain's national implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for all inland discharges from agglomerations with a population equivalent above 2,000. The plant's discharge volume is reported at 373.37 thousand cubic meters per year. The treated wastewater is discharged into the local environment, likely into the Aguasvivas River or a nearby tributary, which flows into the Ebro River basin. The Ebro River is one of Spain's major rivers, draining into the Mediterranean Sea via the Ebro Delta, an ecologically important area for birdlife and aquatic species. The plant's operation helps protect downstream water quality in this semi-arid region of Aragón.

The BELCHITE plant discharges treated wastewater into the Aguasvivas River catchment, part of the Ebro River basin. The Ebro River flows eastward to form the Ebro Delta on the Mediterranean coast, a critical habitat for migratory birds and fish species. The region's semi-arid climate means that maintaining water quality in local rivers is essential for agriculture and ecosystem health.