PRADES Wastewater Treatment Plant, Prades, Catalunya, Spain

The PRADES wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Prades, within the Baix Camp comarca of Tarragona, Catalunya, Spain. It serves a population of approximately 1,543 residents and operates as a secondary treatment facility, meeting the standard requirements for small agglomerations under Spanish and European regulations. With a designed capacity of 3,960 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 847.42 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variability. As a secondary treatment plant, it employs biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the Francolí River basin. The plant's location more than 10 km from the coast reduces direct marine impact, but its proximity to the Mediterranean within 50 km means it contributes to the overall water quality of the region's coastal ecosystems.

The plant discharges into the Francolí River basin, which flows through the Camp de Tarragona region before reaching the Mediterranean Sea. This coastal watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional biodiversity. The secondary treatment provided helps protect downstream water quality, though the plant's location within 50 km of the coast means its effluent can influence nearshore marine environments, particularly during low-flow periods.