MACEDA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Maceda, Galicia, Spain

The MACEDA wastewater treatment plant is located in the parish of Chaioso, Maceda, within the Allariz-Maceda region of Ourense, Galicia, Spain. It serves a population of approximately 2,860 residents, reflecting a small agglomeration under EU classification. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 3,500 m³/day, with an actual discharge volume of 622.18 m³/day, indicating significant reserve capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Miño River basin. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality and supports the ecological health of the region's rivers and coastal waters.

The plant discharges into the Miño River basin, which flows through Galicia and into the Atlantic Ocean near the border with Portugal. The Miño is a major river supporting diverse aquatic life and providing water for agriculture and human consumption. Advanced treatment at this plant reduces nutrient and pollutant loads, helping to maintain the ecological balance of the river and its estuary, a sensitive coastal environment.