JERTE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Jerte, Extremadura, Spain

The JERTE wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Jerte, in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. It serves a population of approximately 2,200 residents, making it a small-scale municipal facility. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and operates under Spanish and European Union regulations. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 5,913 m³/day, with a reported discharge volume of 398.74 m³/day, indicating that the plant operates well below its maximum capacity. This suggests that the facility has room to accommodate future population growth or increased wastewater flows. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse, likely a tributary of the Tagus River basin, which flows through Extremadura and eventually reaches the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the local aquatic ecosystem and downstream water quality, supporting biodiversity in the region's rivers and reservoirs.

The JERTE plant discharges into a local stream that feeds into the Jerte River, a tributary of the Alagón River, which is part of the Tagus River basin. The Tagus River flows westward through Spain and Portugal, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at the Tagus Estuary near Lisbon. The surrounding area is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a corridor for migratory birds. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loads and pollutants, safeguarding water quality in the downstream river system and the estuary.