SAN MATEO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vega de San Mateo, Canarias

SAN MATEO is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Vega de San Mateo, on the island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,131 residents and is situated in a mountainous inland area of the island, though within 10 km of the coast. It operates under Spanish and European Union wastewater regulations. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 5,000 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 419.65 m³/day, the facility has significant spare capacity to accommodate future growth or seasonal variations in flow. The treated effluent from SAN MATEO is discharged into the local watershed, which drains toward the eastern coast of Gran Canaria. The island's volcanic terrain and limited freshwater resources make proper wastewater treatment critical for protecting both groundwater and coastal marine ecosystems. The advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading and safeguards the sensitive marine environment surrounding the Canary Islands.

The plant discharges into the watershed of eastern Gran Canaria, which ultimately drains into the Atlantic Ocean. The Canary Islands host unique marine and coastal ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and coral communities, that are sensitive to nutrient pollution. Advanced treatment at SAN MATEO helps reduce the risk of eutrophication and protects the ecological integrity of the coastal waters.