Ruidera Wastewater Treatment Plant, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

The Ruidera wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Ruidera, within the province of Ciudad Real in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. The facility serves a population of 8,628 and provides advanced treatment, reflecting a high standard of wastewater management for a community of this size. As an advanced treatment plant, Ruidera goes beyond secondary biological processes to remove nutrients and other pollutants, ensuring a high-quality effluent. This level of treatment is consistent with Spain's implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires appropriate treatment for discharges into sensitive areas. The plant's discharge volume of 193.00 cubic meters indicates its operational scale. The treated effluent from Ruidera ultimately flows into the Guadiana River basin, which drains into the Gulf of Cadiz in the Atlantic Ocean. The region includes the Lagunas de Ruidera, a series of interconnected lakes that form an ecologically sensitive wetland system. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect this unique aquatic environment and supports biodiversity in the semi-arid landscape of central Spain.

The Ruidera plant discharges into the Guadiana River basin, which flows southwest through Spain and Portugal before reaching the Gulf of Cadiz in the Atlantic Ocean. The nearby Lagunas de Ruidera are a chain of karstic lakes that support diverse aquatic life and migratory birds. Advanced treatment at the plant helps maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive area, preventing eutrophication and protecting downstream habitats.