Valverde del Fresno Wastewater Treatment Plant, Cáceres, Extremadura

The Valverde del Fresno wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Valverde del Fresno, in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 6,000 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU regulations. As a Spanish wastewater facility, the plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for discharges from agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) between 2,000 and 10,000. The directive also mandates more stringent treatment if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Tagus River basin, one of the Iberian Peninsula's major river systems. The Tagus River flows westward through Spain and Portugal before reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. The surrounding Extremadura region is known for its diverse aquatic ecosystems and supports migratory bird populations along the Tagus corridor.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Tagus River basin, which flows through central Spain and Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean. The Tagus River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The region's Mediterranean climate with seasonal rainfall patterns influences the river's flow and the dilution capacity for treated effluent.