PUEBLA DE DON RODRIGO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Puebla de Don Rodrigo, Castilla-La Mancha

PUEBLA DE DON RODRIGO is a wastewater treatment plant located in Puebla de Don Rodrigo, a municipality in the province of Ciudad Real, within the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,005 residents, reflecting its role in managing domestic wastewater for this small inland community. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standards required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. This level of treatment typically includes nutrient removal or other tertiary steps, ensuring high-quality effluent before discharge. The treated water is discharged into the local hydrological network, which ultimately drains into the Guadiana River basin. The Guadiana River flows westward through Spain and Portugal, emptying into the Gulf of Cádiz (Atlantic Ocean). The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the sensitive aquatic ecosystems of the Guadiana basin, which support diverse wildlife and agricultural water use.

The plant discharges into the Guadiana River basin, one of the major Iberian river systems. The Guadiana flows through the semi-arid La Mancha region, where water resources are scarce and ecologically sensitive. Downstream, the river supports irrigated agriculture, wetlands, and the internationally important Tablas de Daimiel National Park (a floodplain ecosystem). Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting water quality in this water-stressed basin.