MEDINA DE RIOSECO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Medina de Rioseco, Spain

The MEDINA DE RIOSECO wastewater treatment plant is located in Medina de Rioseco, a town in the province of Valladolid, within the autonomous community of Castilla y León, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 9,248 people, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under EU regulations. As a Spanish facility, the plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations with a population equivalent between 2,000 and 10,000 discharging into freshwater or estuaries. The directive also mandates more stringent treatment if the receiving water body is designated as a sensitive area. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Duero River basin. The Duero River flows westward through Spain and Portugal, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Porto. The region's aquatic ecosystems support diverse species, including migratory fish such as the Iberian barbel and the endangered European eel.

The plant discharges into the Duero River basin, which flows through the Castilla y León region and eventually reaches the Atlantic Ocean. The Duero is one of the Iberian Peninsula's major rivers, supporting a variety of aquatic life including endemic fish species and migratory birds. The surrounding area is primarily agricultural, with the river providing irrigation water and habitat for wildlife. Proper wastewater treatment is essential to prevent nutrient pollution and protect downstream ecosystems.