LLORENC DEL PENEDES Wastewater Treatment Plant, Banyeres del Penedès, Catalunya

LLORENC DEL PENEDES is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Banyeres del Penedès, within the Baix Penedès region of Tarragona, Catalunya, Spain. The plant serves a population of 1,881 and has a designed capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 331.84 m³/day. It provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. As a plant in a European Union member state, LLORENC DEL PENEDES operates under the regulatory framework of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for all discharges from agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) above 2,000. For smaller agglomerations like this one (serving 1,881 people), appropriate treatment is required to protect the receiving environment. The plant's secondary treatment process typically involves biological treatment followed by sedimentation, ensuring compliance with EU standards. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains to the Mediterranean Sea. Given its proximity to the coast (within 10 km), the discharge may affect coastal water quality and marine ecosystems. The region's Mediterranean climate and tourism-dependent economy make proper wastewater management critical for protecting bathing waters and marine biodiversity along the Costa Dorada.

The plant discharges into the local drainage network that flows into the Mediterranean Sea near the Costa Dorada coastline. This coastal area supports diverse marine life, including seagrass meadows and fish nurseries, and is important for regional tourism. The secondary treatment provided helps reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids, protecting the sensitive coastal environment from eutrophication and pathogen contamination.