CABANES Wastewater Treatment Plant, Cabanes, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain

The CABANES wastewater treatment plant is located in the Polígon Industrial El Gaidó area of Cabanes, in the province of Castellón, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain. It serves a population of approximately 3,088 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Spanish and EU regulations. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 8,333 m³/day, with a reported discharge volume of 341.06 m³/day, indicating ample reserve capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into the local hydrological network, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the coastal waters of the Costa del Azahar, supporting bathing water quality and marine ecosystem health in the region.

The plant's discharge enters the drainage basin of the Mediterranean coast near Cabanes, contributing to the Rambla de la Viuda or similar seasonal watercourses that flow into the Mediterranean Sea. The coastal waters support diverse marine life and are important for tourism and fisheries. The secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic loads, mitigating eutrophication risks in the nearshore environment.