VILANOVA D ALCOLEA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vilanova d'Alcolea, Spain

VILANOVA D ALCOLEA is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Vilanova d'Alcolea, a town in the province of Castellón, within the Comunitat Valenciana region of eastern Spain. The plant serves a population of 1,512 residents and is part of the region's water infrastructure managed under Spanish and European regulations. 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 of this size. With a design capacity of 2,000 m³/day and a reported discharge volume of 103.40 m³/day, the facility operates well below its designed capacity, indicating it is sized for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's coastal and inland water quality, supporting both environmental health and tourism in the Castellón area.

The plant discharges into the local river system that flows to the Mediterranean Sea, a semi-enclosed sea with limited water exchange, making it sensitive to nutrient pollution. The Comunitat Valenciana coastline includes important habitats for marine life and migratory birds. Secondary treatment reduces organic load and suspended solids, helping to prevent eutrophication and protect the ecological balance of the coastal zone.