BIOTA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Biota, Aragón, Spain

The BIOTA wastewater treatment plant is located in Biota, a municipality in the Cinco Villas region of Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain. It serves a population of approximately 1,637 people, making it a small-scale facility within the region's wastewater infrastructure. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and its operations are part of the broader water management system in the Ebro River basin. As a secondary treatment plant, BIOTA meets the standard requirements for biological treatment of wastewater, which includes the removal of organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 2,917 m³/day, with a reported discharge volume of 296.70 m³/day, indicating it operates well below its maximum capacity. Under the European Union's Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), secondary treatment is the minimum requirement for discharges into freshwater bodies, and this plant complies with that standard. The treated effluent from BIOTA is discharged into the local hydrological network, which ultimately drains into the Ebro River, one of Spain's major rivers. The Ebro River flows into the Mediterranean Sea, supporting diverse aquatic ecosystems along its course. The plant's operations help protect downstream water quality, particularly in the Ebro basin, which is ecologically significant for its biodiversity and agricultural importance.

BIOTA's treated wastewater enters the local drainage system, which feeds into the Arba de Biel River, a tributary of the Ebro River. The Ebro River flows eastward through Aragón and Catalonia before reaching the Mediterranean Sea via the Ebro Delta. This delta is a critical habitat for migratory birds and supports extensive rice paddies and wetlands. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollution and nutrient loads, contributing to the ecological health of the Ebro basin and downstream coastal waters.