FUENTE DEL MAESTRE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Fuente del Maestre, Extremadura

FUENTE DEL MAESTRE is a wastewater treatment plant located in Fuente del Maestre, a municipality in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. The plant serves a population of around 9,700 people, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category under EU classification. As a Spanish facility, the plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The directive also mandates more advanced treatment if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas, such as those prone to eutrophication. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into the local water system, which drains into the Río Bodión, a tributary of the Guadiana River. The Guadiana flows southwest through Spain and Portugal before reaching the Gulf of Cádiz in the Atlantic Ocean. This river basin supports diverse aquatic life and agricultural activities downstream.

The plant discharges into the Río Bodión, which flows into the Guadiana River, one of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula. The Guadiana basin supports a variety of ecosystems, including wetlands and riparian habitats that are important for migratory birds and fish species. The river ultimately reaches the Gulf of Cádiz, a coastal area with significant ecological and economic value. Proper treatment helps protect these downstream environments from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.