July 8, 2026
On July 7, the new Cuba Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) was officially inaugurated in the district of Beja (Alentejo, Portugal). The facility was built by the Espina & Delfín / Factor Ambiente consortium – Engenharia do Ambiente, commissioned by Águas Públicas do Alentejo (AgdA), in collaboration with the Cuba Municipal Council. The ceremony was attended by Portugal’s Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, and the chairman of AgdA’s Board of Directors, Diogo Nascimento.
The new plant replaces the town’s old wastewater treatment plant, which was based on an obsolete biodisc system that suffered frequent breakdowns that compromised its normal operation. This project optimizes the treatment of all domestic wastewater in Cuba, ensuring better discharge conditions and enhanced protection of the surrounding ecosystems.
Infrastructure designed to support the region’s growth
The wastewater treatment plant has been designed for an organic load of 4,829 population equivalents, with a treatment capacity of 950 m³/day. The process includes the three standard stages of wastewater treatment: in the liquid phase, pretreatment and biological treatment using activated sludge in an oxidation ditch with secondary settling; in the solid phase, gravitational thickening, centrifugal dewatering, and storage in a silo; and in the gaseous phase, deodorization via a biofilter. The plant also includes a dedicated line for the complementary treatment of effluent for reuse as service water, with the possibility of future expansion to include the production of water for reuse (ApR).
Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
The new wastewater treatment plant is equipped with a 75-kW photovoltaic power generation unit, which will reduce energy consumption from the power grid by 40%. The project represented a total investment of €3,596,485.24, 57.7% of which (€2,077,814.47) was co-financed by the European COMPETE 2020/REACT-EU funds.
With the launch of the Cuba wastewater treatment plant, Espina & Delfín adds a new project to its portfolio in Portugal and strengthens its presence in the water management sector outside of Galicia. This is yet another step that confirms the company’s ability to address sanitation and water sustainability challenges in other markets as well.