Zalamea la Real Wastewater Treatment Plant, Andalucía, Spain

The Zalamea la Real wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Zalamea la Real, within the Cuenca Minera comarca of Huelva province, Andalucía, Spain. The plant serves a population of 3,210 and operates under the regulatory framework of the European Union's Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which sets standards for wastewater treatment in agglomerations of this size. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum required by the EU directive for discharges into freshwater and estuaries. With a designed capacity of 4,600 m³/day and an average daily flow of 581.80 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Tinto River basin. The region is characterized by its mining history and Mediterranean climate, with the plant playing a key role in protecting downstream water quality and supporting the ecological health of the surrounding area.

The plant discharges into the Tinto River basin, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Huelva. The Tinto River is known for its unique acidic waters due to historical mining, but the treatment plant helps mitigate pollution from urban sources. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a region with significant ecological and economic importance, including wetlands and coastal areas.