Benlloch Wastewater Treatment Plant, Benlloc, Comunitat Valenciana

The Benlloch wastewater treatment plant is located in Benlloc, a municipality in the province of Castellón, within the Comunitat Valenciana region of eastern Spain. The plant serves a small population of 813 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or semi-rural setting. It is situated along the CV-152 road, providing essential sanitation services to the local community. As a secondary treatment facility, the Benlloch plant meets the standard requirements under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations with a population equivalent above 2,000. Although the plant serves fewer than 2,000 people, it still provides secondary treatment, ensuring effective removal of organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 2,783 m³/day and currently discharges an average volume of 159.96 m³/day, indicating significant spare capacity. The treated effluent from the Benlloch plant is discharged into the local environment, likely into a nearby watercourse that drains into the Mediterranean Sea. The plant is located within 50 km of the coast, placing it in a coastal watershed. The receiving water body supports local aquatic life and contributes to the broader ecological health of the region's river systems, which ultimately flow into the Mediterranean, a semi-enclosed sea with sensitive marine ecosystems.

The Benlloch plant discharges into a local watercourse that is part of the drainage network flowing toward the Mediterranean Sea. The region's rivers and streams support diverse aquatic habitats and are important for migratory species. The Mediterranean coastal zone is ecologically sensitive, with seagrass meadows and marine biodiversity that benefit from well-treated wastewater discharges. Proper treatment helps protect these downstream environments from nutrient pollution and organic loading.