LA ESTACION Wastewater Treatment Plant, Santa María de la Alameda, Comunidad de Madrid

LA ESTACION is a wastewater treatment plant located in Santa María de la Alameda, within the Comunidad de Madrid region of Spain. It serves a small population of 486 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or semi-rural community. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for agglomerations of this size. As a facility in Spain, LA ESTACION falls under the regulatory framework of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For small agglomerations (under 2,000 population equivalent), the directive requires appropriate treatment, typically secondary treatment, to protect receiving waters. The plant's designed capacity of 2000 m³/day aligns with the scale of the community it serves. The treated effluent from LA ESTACION is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Tagus River basin, one of the most important river systems in the Iberian Peninsula. The Tagus River flows westward through Spain and Portugal, discharging into the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. The plant's operations help protect the ecological health of these downstream waters, supporting aquatic life and water quality in the region.

LA ESTACION discharges into local streams that are part of the Tagus River basin. The Tagus River is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula, flowing through central Spain and Portugal before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish species such as the Iberian barbel and nase. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and nutrients, mitigating eutrophication risks in the river and its estuary.