Overview
San Pedro del Pinatar wastewater treatment plant serves approximately 65,591 people in the Murcia region of Spain. The facility is located within 50 km of the Mediterranean coast.
San Pedro del Pinatar wastewater treatment plant is a municipal facility serving the town of San Pedro del Pinatar in the Murcia region of southeastern Spain. The plant serves a population equivalent of approximately 65,591, placing it in the medium-to-large agglomeration category under European Union classification. As a Spanish wastewater treatment plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The directive also mandates more advanced treatment if the discharge enters a sensitive area. The plant's designed capacity is 1. The plant's treated effluent ultimately reaches the Mediterranean Sea, likely via the Mar Menor coastal lagoon or direct discharge. The Mar Menor is a hypersaline lagoon of high ecological importance, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a critical habitat for migratory birds. The region's semi-arid climate makes water reclamation and nutrient management particularly important for protecting coastal water quality.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Mar Menor coastal lagoon, which connects to the Mediterranean Sea. The Mar Menor is a hypersaline lagoon of significant ecological value, supporting seagrass meadows, fish nurseries, and migratory bird populations. Nutrient loading from wastewater discharges can contribute to eutrophication, making advanced treatment important for preserving this sensitive coastal ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in San Pedro del Pinatar, a town in the Murcia region of southeastern Spain, near the Mar Menor coastal lagoon and the Mediterranean Sea.
The plant serves a population equivalent of approximately 65,591 people, classifying it as a medium-to-large agglomeration under EU wastewater treatment regulations.
The treated effluent is discharged into the Mar Menor lagoon, a hypersaline coastal lagoon connected to the Mediterranean Sea. The discharge point is within 50 km of the coast.
As a Spanish facility, the plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations over 2,000 population equivalent and more advanced treatment in sensitive areas.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, plants serving over 15,000 population equivalent must provide secondary treatment. In sensitive areas like the Mar Menor, tertiary treatment for nutrient removal is often required to prevent eutrophication.
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