Puerto Real Wastewater Treatment Plant - Andalusia, Spain

The Puerto Real wastewater treatment plant is a municipal facility serving the town of Puerto Real in the province of Cadiz, Andalusia, Spain. With a population equivalent of 45,249, it is classified as a medium agglomeration under EU regulations. The plant is situated near the Bay of Cadiz, a coastal inlet of the Atlantic Ocean. As a Spanish facility, the plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size discharging into coastal waters. The designed capacity is 1.00 cubic meters per second, indicating a substantial infrastructure investment. The regulatory framework ensures compliance with European standards for nutrient removal and effluent quality. The treated wastewater is discharged into the Bay of Cadiz, a semi-enclosed coastal water body that supports diverse marine life and important fisheries. The bay is part of the Guadalete River basin and connects to the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the ecological health of the bay, which is used for tourism, aquaculture, and as a habitat for migratory birds.

The plant discharges into the Bay of Cadiz, a coastal inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in southwestern Spain. The bay receives freshwater from the Guadalete River and supports extensive salt marshes and intertidal flats that are ecologically sensitive. These habitats provide nursery grounds for fish and shellfish and are important stopover sites for migratory waterbirds along the East Atlantic Flyway. The plant's operations help maintain water quality in this productive coastal ecosystem.