PUENTES VIEJAS Wastewater Treatment Plant, Buitrago del Lozoya, Comunidad de Madrid

PUENTES VIEJAS is a wastewater treatment plant located in Buitrago del Lozoya, within the Comunidad de Madrid, Spain. It serves a population of approximately 3,504 people and has a designed capacity of 6,300 cubic meters per day, with an actual discharge volume of 839.01 cubic meters per day. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. This directive mandates secondary treatment for all discharges from agglomerations with a population equivalent greater than 2,000, ensuring effective removal of organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Lozoya River, a tributary of the Jarama River, part of the Tagus River basin. The Tagus River flows westward through Spain and Portugal, discharging into the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. The plant plays a key role in protecting the Lozoya River and downstream water bodies from pollution, supporting aquatic life and water quality in the region.

The plant discharges into the Lozoya River, which flows into the Jarama River, a major tributary of the Tagus River. The Tagus basin is the largest in the Iberian Peninsula, supporting diverse aquatic ecosystems and providing water for agriculture, industry, and human consumption. The Lozoya River is an ecologically sensitive watercourse, and the plant's secondary treatment helps maintain water quality standards in this important watershed.