QUESADA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Quesada, Andalucía, Spain

The QUESADA wastewater treatment plant is located in Quesada, a municipality in the province of Jaén, Andalucía, Spain. The plant serves a population of around 6,000 residents, placing it in the small agglomeration category under EU regulations. Its location in the upper Guadalquivir basin places it in a region with significant agricultural activity, particularly olive oil production. As a small agglomeration, the plant is expected to provide at least secondary treatment under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The directive requires appropriate treatment to protect the receiving water bodies, especially in sensitive areas. The plant's compliance with national and EU standards ensures that effluent meets required quality parameters. The treated wastewater from QUESADA likely discharges into a tributary of the Guadalquivir River, which flows through Andalucía to the Atlantic Ocean at the Gulf of Cádiz. The Guadalquivir basin supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor. The plant's operation helps protect downstream water quality and the sensitive ecosystems of the river and its estuary.

QUESADA lies in the upper Guadalquivir River basin, a major waterway in southern Spain that drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Gulf of Cádiz. The region's Mediterranean climate with dry summers and concentrated rainfall poses challenges for water resource management. The plant's discharge supports the ecological health of the Guadalquivir, which hosts diverse fish species and provides habitat for migratory birds. Downstream, the Guadalquivir estuary is an ecologically sensitive area that benefits from controlled nutrient and pollutant loads.