NOVETLE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vallés, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain

NOVETLE is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Vallés, within the Comunitat Valenciana region of eastern Spain. The facility serves a population of approximately 1,309 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU classification. Its location near the city of Vallés places it in a rural to peri-urban setting, contributing to local sanitation infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 2,000 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 168.16 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variability. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality, including the Albufera de València lagoon and coastal ecosystems. By reducing pollutant loads, NOVETLE helps maintain ecological balance in the region's rivers and coastal waters, which support diverse aquatic life and are important for tourism and fisheries.

NOVETLE discharges treated wastewater into the local river system within the Júcar River basin, which flows eastward into the Mediterranean Sea. The downstream environment includes the Albufera de València, a coastal lagoon of high ecological importance that supports diverse bird species and aquatic vegetation. The plant's secondary treatment helps mitigate nutrient pollution, protecting these sensitive habitats from eutrophication and maintaining water quality for recreational and ecological uses.