Cartagena Cabezo Beaza, Cartagena

Overview

Cartagena Cabezo Beaza wastewater treatment plant serves over 200,000 people in Cartagena, Spain. Located in the Región de Murcia, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.

Cartagena Cabezo Beaza is a major wastewater treatment plant serving the city of Cartagena in the Región de Murcia, Spain. With a population served of over 200,000, it is classified as a large agglomeration under EU regulations. The plant is situated near the Mar Menor coastal lagoon, a sensitive ecological area. As a large agglomeration, the plant is expected to provide at least secondary treatment under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The designed capacity is 1. It plays a critical role in managing wastewater from a significant urban and industrial area. The plant's discharge ultimately affects the Mar Menor, a hypersaline lagoon of high ecological importance. The region's semi-arid climate and intensive agriculture place additional pressure on water resources. Proper treatment is essential to protect the lagoon's biodiversity and support sustainable water management in the Campo de Cartagena region.

Environmental context

The plant's treated effluent likely drains into the Mar Menor coastal lagoon via local watercourses, as Cartagena lies within the Campo de Cartagena basin. The Mar Menor is a hypersaline lagoon of high ecological value, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a critical stopover for migratory birds. The surrounding semi-arid landscape and intensive agricultural activity make the lagoon vulnerable to nutrient pollution, underscoring the importance of effective wastewater treatment.

Frequently asked questions

The plant is located in Cartagena, in the Región de Murcia, Spain, near the Mar Menor coastal lagoon.

It serves a population of 203,797, classifying it as a large agglomeration under EU regulations.

The treated wastewater likely discharges into local watercourses that flow into the Mar Menor lagoon, a sensitive coastal ecosystem.

As a Spanish plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations over 15,000 population equivalent.

Plants of this scale in Spain are required to provide at least secondary treatment, and often tertiary treatment, especially when discharging into sensitive areas like the Mar Menor.