PONTE DO PORTO CAMARINAS Wastewater Treatment Plant, Camariñas, Galicia

PONTE DO PORTO CAMARINAS is a wastewater treatment plant located in the municipality of Camariñas, in the province of A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. The plant served a small coastal community with a population equivalent of 1,074 and was designed with a capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per day. Its operational status is currently closed. The plant employed advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), advanced treatment is typically required for discharges into sensitive areas, such as coastal waters or estuaries. The plant's coastal location within 10 km of the Atlantic Ocean suggests it played a role in protecting marine water quality. The treated effluent was likely discharged into the Atlantic Ocean via a nearby river or direct outfall. The region's coastal ecosystems, including estuaries and rocky shores, support diverse marine life and are important for fisheries and tourism.

The plant is located in the coastal municipality of Camariñas, within the Rías Altas region of Galicia. The receiving water body is the Atlantic Ocean, with potential discharge into the nearby Ponte do Porto estuary. This area supports ecologically sensitive habitats, including seagrass beds and intertidal zones, which are vital for fish spawning and migratory birds. The advanced treatment level would have helped minimize nutrient loading and protect these coastal ecosystems from eutrophication.