DALIAS Wastewater Treatment Plant, Dalías, Andalucía, Spain

The DALIAS wastewater treatment plant is located in Dalías, a municipality in the province of Almería, Andalucía, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,400 people and operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The plant's designed capacity is 4,400 m³/day, and it discharges an average volume of 797.49 m³/day of treated wastewater. As a secondary treatment facility, DALIAS provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting the effluent quality standards set by Spanish regulations and the EU directive. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means that its discharge may eventually reach the Mediterranean Sea, either directly or via a short river or drainage channel. The treated effluent from DALIAS ultimately flows into the Mediterranean Sea, which is a semi-enclosed sea with high ecological sensitivity. The coastal waters of Almería support diverse marine life, including seagrass meadows and important fisheries. The plant's operation helps protect these ecosystems by reducing nutrient and pollutant loads, although secondary treatment may not fully remove nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which can contribute to eutrophication in coastal waters.

The DALIAS plant discharges treated wastewater into the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea near Almería. The Mediterranean is a semi-enclosed sea with limited water exchange, making it sensitive to nutrient pollution. The local coastline features ecologically important habitats such as seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica) and supports diverse marine life, including fish and invertebrates. Effective wastewater treatment is crucial to prevent eutrophication and protect these ecosystems.