FUENTE EL FRESNO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Fuente el Fresno, Castilla-La Mancha

FUENTE EL FRESNO is a wastewater treatment plant located in Fuente el Fresno, a municipality in the province of Ciudad Real, within the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 7,787 residents, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category under Spanish and European Union regulations. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for inland freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse, likely a tributary of the Guadiana River basin, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Gulf of Cádiz. The plant's operation helps protect the ecological health of the receiving waters and supports the region's agricultural and natural ecosystems.

The plant discharges into a local river system within the Guadiana River basin, one of the major Iberian watersheds. The Guadiana River flows southwest through Spain and Portugal, eventually reaching the Gulf of Cádiz in the Atlantic Ocean. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is important for irrigation and local biodiversity. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, mitigating eutrophication risks in the river and its estuary.