VALL D ALBA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vall d'Alba, Comunitat Valenciana

The VALL D ALBA wastewater treatment plant is located in Vall d'Alba, a municipality in the province of Castellón, within the Comunitat Valenciana region of eastern Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,926 residents, reflecting its role as a small-scale municipal facility in a semi-rural area. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations with a population equivalent between 2,000 and 10,000. Its designed capacity is 5,000 m³/day, and the current discharge volume is 448.44 m³/day, indicating operational capacity well below design limits. The treated effluent is discharged into the local hydrological network, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the region's coastal rivers. The plant's location more than 10 km from the coast reduces direct marine impact, but its proximity to the Mediterranean basin means that proper treatment is essential to protect coastal water quality and marine ecosystems.

The plant discharges into the local watershed within the Comunitat Valenciana, a region characterized by intermittent rivers that flow into the Mediterranean Sea. The receiving water body is part of the drainage network that supports agricultural irrigation and sustains riparian habitats. Downstream, the waters contribute to the coastal marine environment, which hosts seagrass meadows and diverse fish populations. Effective secondary treatment helps prevent nutrient enrichment and maintains ecological balance in this semi-arid region.