HORNACHUELOS Wastewater Treatment Plant, Hornachuelos, Andalusia, Spain

The HORNACHUELOS wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Hornachuelos, within the province of Córdoba in Andalusia, Spain. The facility serves a population of approximately 4,800 residents, providing essential wastewater treatment for this inland community. The plant employs secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The designed capacity of the plant is 4,800 population equivalents, matching the served population, and the average daily discharge volume is about 870 cubic meters. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that eventually drains into the Guadalquivir River basin, one of Spain's major river systems. The Guadalquivir flows westward through Andalusia and empties into the Atlantic Ocean at the Gulf of Cádiz, supporting diverse aquatic ecosystems and agricultural activities along its course.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Guadalquivir River, which is the primary waterway in Andalusia and a vital ecological corridor. The Guadalquivir basin supports a variety of habitats, including wetlands and riparian forests, and is home to species such as the Iberian lynx and the Spanish imperial eagle. Downstream, the river flows into the Doñana wetlands, an ecologically sensitive area that provides critical stopover sites for migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollution and protect the river's water quality.