TORRENT Wastewater Treatment Plant, Picanya, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain

The TORRENT wastewater treatment plant is located in Picanya, within the l'Horta Sud comarca of Valencia Province, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain. It serves a population equivalent of 60,165, placing it in the medium-to-large agglomeration category under EU classification. The plant is situated near the city of Torrent and is part of the regional wastewater infrastructure managed by the relevant Spanish authorities. As a facility serving over 50,000 people, the plant is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment as a minimum for such agglomerations. In sensitive areas, tertiary treatment may be mandated to reduce nutrient loads. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in cubic meters per day or similar units), indicating a substantial treatment capability. The plant discharges treated effluent into the local hydrological network, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the Turia River basin. The receiving waters support diverse aquatic life and are ecologically sensitive due to their proximity to the Albufera de Valencia, a coastal lagoon of high ecological importance. The plant plays a key role in protecting these downstream environments from nutrient pollution and pathogens.

The TORRENT plant discharges into the Turia River basin, which flows into the Albufera de Valencia coastal lagoon and then to the Mediterranean Sea. The Albufera is a shallow, hypereutrophic lagoon that supports diverse birdlife and aquatic vegetation. Nutrient inputs from upstream sources, including treated wastewater, can exacerbate eutrophication, making advanced treatment important for preserving water quality and ecological balance in this sensitive coastal ecosystem.