FUENTE LIBRILLA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Mula, Región de Murcia, Spain

FUENTE LIBRILLA is a wastewater treatment plant located in the Mula municipality, within the Región de Murcia, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,540 people and has a designed capacity of 3,000 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 125.57 m³/day. It operates under Spain's implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level for inland communities under the EU directive. As a small agglomeration (under 10,000 population equivalent), it meets the regulatory requirements for biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The facility's capacity utilization appears moderate, indicating operational headroom. The treated effluent is discharged into the local hydrological network, ultimately contributing to the Río Mula and the Segura River basin. The Segura River flows into the Mediterranean Sea via the Mar Menor coastal lagoon, a ecologically sensitive area that supports diverse aquatic life and important migratory bird populations. The plant's inland location reduces direct marine impact, but its discharge affects the overall water quality of the Segura basin.

The plant discharges into the Río Mula, a tributary of the Segura River, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea through the Mar Menor coastal lagoon. The Segura basin is a semi-arid region where water resources are critical for agriculture and ecosystems. The Mar Menor is a hypersaline lagoon of high ecological value, supporting seagrass meadows and diverse marine species. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect downstream water quality in this sensitive environment.