Chilluévar Wastewater Treatment Plant, Chilluévar, Andalucía, Spain

The Chilluévar wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Chilluévar, in the province of Jaén, Andalucía, Spain. It serves a small population of approximately 1,778 people, reflecting its role in a rural community. The plant is currently closed, and its operational status indicates it is not actively treating wastewater at this time. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant would have provided biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) between 2,000 and 10,000 are generally required to have secondary treatment. Chilluévar's population of 1,778 falls below this threshold, meaning the directive's requirements may not apply directly, but local Spanish regulations still mandate appropriate treatment for smaller communities. The plant's discharge volume is recorded at 322.26 cubic meters per day, with a designed capacity of 2,500 cubic meters per day. The plant is located inland, more than 50 km from the coast. Its discharge likely enters a local stream or river within the Guadalquivir basin, which ultimately flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The surrounding area is characterized by olive groves and Mediterranean vegetation, and the local watershed supports agricultural activities and biodiversity.

The plant is situated inland in the Guadalquivir River basin, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Gulf of Cádiz. The local watershed supports Mediterranean ecosystems, including olive groves and riparian habitats. Even though the plant is closed, its historical discharge would have affected small streams that feed into the Guadalquivir, a river that sustains diverse aquatic life and is important for irrigation and drinking water in the region.