OLIVA DE MERIDA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Oliva de Mérida, Extremadura

OLIVA DE MERIDA is a wastewater treatment plant located in Oliva de Mérida, a municipality in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,700 residents, reflecting its role in managing domestic wastewater for this inland community. The facility operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a design capacity of 4,000 m³/day and a reported discharge volume of 670.62 m³/day, the plant has ample capacity to handle current flows. It operates within Spain's national regulatory framework implementing EU directives. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Guadiana River basin. The Guadiana River flows westward through Extremadura and into the Gulf of Cádiz (Atlantic Ocean). The plant's operations help protect local water quality and downstream ecosystems, including the Guadiana's diverse aquatic habitats.

The plant discharges into the Guadiana River basin, one of the major Iberian rivers flowing into the Gulf of Cádiz. The Guadiana supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish species. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollution and nutrient loads, contributing to the ecological health of this transboundary river system.