L'Espluga de Francolí Wastewater Treatment Plant - Catalonia, Spain

The L'Espluga de Francolí wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of l'Espluga de Francolí, in the comarca of Conca de Barberà, province of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. The facility serves a population of 2,341, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Spanish and EU regulations. As a small-scale plant in Spain, it operates under the framework of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires appropriate treatment for discharges into freshwater and estuarine areas. Plants of this size typically employ secondary biological treatment to meet effluent standards. The plant discharges treated water into the local hydrological network, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the Francolí River. The receiving waters support aquatic ecosystems and are part of the broader Ebro River basin, an ecologically significant region in northeastern Spain.

The plant's treated effluent flows into the Francolí River, a coastal stream that runs through the Conca de Barberà region and empties into the Mediterranean Sea near Tarragona. The river supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a watershed that includes agricultural and natural areas. The Mediterranean coastal zone is ecologically sensitive, with habitats for fish and bird species.