SANT MATEU Wastewater Treatment Plant, Sant Mateu, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain

SANT MATEU is a wastewater treatment plant located in Sant Mateu, within the Comunitat Valenciana region of eastern Spain. The facility serves a population of approximately 2,638 people and operates with a designed capacity of 3,996 m³/day, discharging an average volume of 560.73 m³/day. As a secondary treatment plant, it meets the standard requirements for inland communities under Spanish and European regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. For a small agglomeration of this size, secondary treatment is the expected minimum under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The plant's discharge volume is well within its designed capacity, indicating operational efficiency. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain toward the Mediterranean Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's water quality, supporting downstream ecosystems and agricultural water reuse in the Baix Maestrat area. Its operation helps maintain the ecological health of the coastal watershed.

The plant discharges into the local drainage network that flows into the Mediterranean Sea via the Cenia River or nearby coastal streams. The region's semi-arid climate makes water quality management critical for supporting aquatic life and agricultural irrigation. The downstream environment includes sensitive coastal habitats and marine ecosystems that benefit from reduced nutrient and pollutant loads.