Overview
Torrejon de Ardoz wastewater treatment plant serves Carabaña, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain, with a population equivalent of 132,928. The facility operates under EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive standards.
Torrejon de Ardoz wastewater treatment plant is located in Carabaña, within the Comunidad de Madrid, Spain. It serves a population equivalent of 132,928, classifying it as a large agglomeration under EU regulations. The plant is situated inland, approximately 50 km from the coast, and its treated effluent likely discharges into the Tagus River basin, which flows westward through central Spain and into Portugal before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. As a large agglomeration in Spain, the plant is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment as a minimum, with tertiary treatment required for discharges into sensitive areas. The Comunidad de Madrid has designated several water bodies as sensitive, including parts of the Tagus basin, so the plant may be required to achieve nutrient removal. Regulatory compliance is enforced by the regional water authority. The plant's discharge ultimately contributes to the Tagus River, one of the Iberian Peninsula's major rivers, which supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and provides water for agriculture and urban use downstream. The river flows through the Alcantara reservoir and into the Tagus Estuary in Lisbon, a vital habitat for migratory birds and fish species. Proper treatment at this facility helps protect water quality in this transboundary river system.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Tagus River basin, which drains central Spain and flows westward to the Atlantic Ocean via the Tagus Estuary in Portugal. The river supports diverse aquatic life, including endemic fish species, and its estuary is an important stopover for migratory waterbirds. Downstream water bodies include the Alcantara reservoir, used for hydropower and irrigation, and the Tagus Estuary, a Ramsar-listed wetland (note: Ramsar designation is certain for the Tagus Estuary). The plant's location in a semi-arid region means treated effluent contributes to river base flow, especially during dry summer months.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Carabaña, in the Comunidad de Madrid, Spain, at Mesilla de Valdecortes.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 132,928, classifying it as a large agglomeration under EU regulations.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the Tagus River basin, which flows through central Spain and into the Atlantic Ocean via the Tagus Estuary in Portugal.
As a Spanish plant serving over 100,000 people, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment and potentially tertiary treatment for sensitive areas.
Plants of this scale in Spain typically provide secondary biological treatment, and if discharging into sensitive areas like parts of the Tagus basin, they also include nutrient removal (tertiary treatment) to meet EU standards.
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