VILLALBA DE LOS BARROS Wastewater Treatment Plant, Villalba de los Barros, Extremadura

VILLALBA DE LOS BARROS is a wastewater treatment plant located in Villalba de los Barros, a municipality in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,200 residents, reflecting its role in managing domestic wastewater for this small inland community. 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. With a designed capacity of 6,000 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 579.99 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into the local hydrological network, which ultimately drains into the Guadiana River basin. The Guadiana River flows westward through Extremadura and into the Gulf of Cádiz (Atlantic Ocean). The plant's operation helps protect the water quality of the Guadiana basin, supporting aquatic ecosystems and downstream water uses.

The plant discharges into the Guadiana River basin, which flows through Extremadura and into the Gulf of Cádiz. The Guadiana is a major Iberian river supporting diverse aquatic life and agricultural irrigation. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants and nutrients, helping to maintain the ecological health of the river and its estuary, which is an important migratory corridor for birds.