Overview
Sabadell Riu Sec wastewater treatment plant serves approximately 146,000 people in Sabadell, Catalunya, Spain. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this scale.
The Sabadell Riu Sec wastewater treatment plant is located in Sabadell, a city in the Vallès Occidental comarca of Catalunya, Spain. Serving a population of around 146,000, the plant is part of the region's municipal wastewater infrastructure, handling sewage from residential and industrial sources in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. As a large agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), the plant is required to provide at least secondary treatment, with more stringent tertiary treatment if discharging into sensitive areas. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 cubic meters per day, indicating a facility sized for the population served. Typical plants in this region employ activated sludge or similar biological processes. The treated effluent is discharged into the local water system, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the Besòs River basin. The plant plays a crucial role in protecting the ecological health of the Besòs River and the coastal waters of the Catalan coast, supporting biodiversity and recreational uses downstream.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Besòs River basin, which flows through the Barcelona metropolitan area and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The downstream environment includes ecologically sensitive coastal zones that support diverse marine life and are important for regional fisheries and tourism. Proper treatment is essential to prevent nutrient pollution and protect water quality in this densely populated and industrialized region.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Sabadell, in the Vallès Occidental comarca of Catalunya, Spain, near the Aeròdrom de Sabadell.
The plant serves approximately 145,957 people, classifying it as a large agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local water system, which drains into the Besòs River basin and ultimately reaches the Mediterranean Sea.
The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations over 15,000 population equivalents, with possible tertiary treatment in sensitive areas.
For a large agglomeration in Spain, the EU UWWTD mandates at least secondary treatment (biological treatment). Many plants also incorporate nutrient removal to meet water quality standards for sensitive receiving waters.
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