Monte Orgegia Wastewater Treatment Plant, Alicante, Spain

Monte Orgegia is a wastewater treatment plant serving the city of Alicante (Alacant) in the Comunitat Valenciana region of Spain. With a population equivalent of 232,350, it is classified as a large agglomeration under EU regulations, requiring advanced treatment to protect sensitive coastal waters. The plant's designed capacity is 1. As a facility in Spain, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment as a minimum and tertiary treatment for discharges into sensitive areas. Given its coastal proximity, the plant is expected to meet stringent nutrient removal standards to prevent eutrophication in the Mediterranean Sea. The treated effluent from Monte Orgegia ultimately discharges into the Mediterranean Sea, a semi-enclosed basin with limited water exchange. The coastal waters near Alicante support diverse marine life, including seagrass meadows and fish nurseries, making effective wastewater treatment critical for maintaining ecological balance and tourism-dependent water quality.

Monte Orgegia discharges into the Mediterranean Sea near Alicante, a region characterized by a semi-arid climate and high tourism pressure. The receiving waters are part of the Western Mediterranean basin, which supports sensitive habitats such as Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. Nutrient inputs from wastewater can trigger algal blooms and oxygen depletion, so the plant's treatment performance is vital for preserving coastal water quality and marine biodiversity.