Villar del Rey Wastewater Treatment Plant - Extremadura, Spain

The Villar del Rey wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Villar del Rey, in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. It serves a population of approximately 4,600 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU regulations. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and its operations are part of the regional water management infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 5,300 m³ per day, and the current discharge volume is 833.74 m³ per day, indicating ample capacity for current loads. The facility is operated as part of the municipal wastewater system, ensuring compliance with national and EU standards. Treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Guadiana River basin, which flows into the Gulf of Cádiz (Atlantic Ocean). The Guadiana River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor in the region. Proper treatment helps protect water quality in this sensitive watershed.

The plant discharges into the Guadiana River basin, which flows through Extremadura and into the Gulf of Cádiz. The Guadiana River supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish species and migratory birds. The region's Mediterranean climate with seasonal droughts makes maintaining water quality critical for both ecological health and agricultural use downstream.