VILLAREJO DE SALVANES Wastewater Treatment Plant, Villarejo de Salvanés, Spain

The VILLAREJO DE SALVANES wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Villarejo de Salvanés, within the Comunidad de Madrid, Spain. It serves a population of around 4,630 people, placing it in the small agglomeration category under Spanish and EU regulations. As a plant serving fewer than 10,000 population equivalents, it falls under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires appropriate treatment based on the sensitivity of the receiving waters. In Spain, such plants typically employ secondary treatment or equivalent, often using activated sludge or biological filter systems, to meet effluent quality standards. The plant discharges treated effluent 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, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. The plant's operations contribute to protecting the ecological health of the Tagus basin and downstream aquatic environments.

The plant's treated effluent enters local streams that feed into the Tagus River, the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The Tagus basin supports diverse aquatic life and is an important water resource for agriculture and urban areas. Downstream, the river forms the Tagus Estuary in Portugal, a vital habitat for migratory birds and fish species. Proper treatment at this plant helps maintain water quality in this ecologically significant watershed.