BIGUES I RIELLS Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bigues i Riells del Fai, Catalunya

BIGUES I RIELLS is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Bigues i Riells del Fai, a town in the Vallès Oriental comarca of Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain. The plant serves a population of around 5,000 residents and is part of the region's water management infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 4,600 m³/day and an average daily discharge of 725 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or efficient water management. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Mediterranean Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local watershed and downstream ecosystems, including the coastal waters of the Costa del Maresme, by reducing organic pollutants and nutrients from domestic wastewater.

The plant discharges into the local river network within the Besòs River basin, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea near Barcelona. The downstream environment includes ecologically sensitive coastal areas that support diverse marine life and are important for regional biodiversity. Effective wastewater treatment helps prevent eutrophication and protects water quality in the Mediterranean coastal zone.