Overview
Santa Cruz de la Zarza wastewater treatment plant in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, serves approximately 11,638 people with advanced treatment. It discharges 817 m³/day of treated effluent, supporting local water quality.
The Santa Cruz de la Zarza wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Santa Cruz de la Zarza, in the province of Toledo, within the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. The facility serves a population of approximately 11,638 residents, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under Spanish and European regulatory frameworks. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. This level of treatment is particularly relevant for sensitive areas, ensuring high-quality effluent before discharge. The plant treats an average daily volume of 817 m³ of wastewater. The treated effluent is discharged into the local hydrological network, which ultimately drains into the Tagus River basin. The Tagus River is one of the longest rivers in the Iberian Peninsula, flowing westward through Spain and Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality and aquatic ecosystems in this important basin.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Tagus River basin, which flows through central Spain and Portugal before reaching the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. The Tagus supports diverse aquatic life and is a critical water resource for agriculture, industry, and urban areas. Advanced treatment at this plant reduces nutrient and pollutant loads, helping to mitigate eutrophication risks and preserve the ecological health of the river and its estuary.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located on Camino del Campillo in Santa Cruz de la Zarza, Toledo, in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain.
The plant serves approximately 11,638 residents, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations.
The plant provides advanced treatment, which exceeds the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for this population size.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations with a population equivalent above 10,000 are required to have secondary treatment. The plant's advanced treatment goes beyond this standard, ensuring high-quality effluent for sensitive receiving waters.
The treated effluent discharges into the local hydrological network that drains into the Tagus River basin, which flows through Spain and Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean.
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