PLIEGO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Pliego, Región de Murcia, Spain

PLIEGO is a wastewater treatment plant located in Pliego, a municipality in the Región de Murcia, southeastern Spain. The plant serves a population of 5,660 and is part of the region's water infrastructure, operating under Spanish and EU regulations. The plant provides advanced treatment, exceeding 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 12,500 m³/day, with an average daily discharge of 477.24 m³/day, indicating ample capacity for future growth. Treated effluent is discharged into the local water system, likely the Río Mula, a tributary of the Segura River. The Segura basin is ecologically significant, supporting irrigated agriculture and wetlands such as the Mar Menor coastal lagoon. Advanced treatment helps protect these sensitive environments from nutrient pollution.

The plant discharges into the Río Mula, which flows into the Segura River and ultimately reaches the Mediterranean Sea via the Segura delta. The Segura basin is a semi-arid region where water resources are heavily used for agriculture, making advanced treatment crucial to prevent eutrophication and protect downstream aquatic habitats, including the ecologically sensitive Mar Menor coastal lagoon.