ZARZA LA MAYOR Wastewater Treatment Plant, Zarza la Mayor, Extremadura, Spain

The ZARZA LA MAYOR wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Zarza la Mayor, in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. It serves a population of approximately 3,200 residents, making it a small-scale municipal facility. 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 biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 2,600 m³/day, and the reported discharge volume is 579.99 m³/day, indicating it operates well below its design capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Tagus River basin, one of the major river systems in the Iberian Peninsula. The Tagus River flows westward through Spain and Portugal, discharging into the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon. The plant's operations contribute to protecting the water quality of this important river system and its downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into the Tagus River basin, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The Tagus River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important water resource for both Spain and Portugal. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, protecting the river's ecological health and downstream habitats.