SARTI Wastewater Treatment Plant, Sarti, Greece

The SARTI wastewater treatment plant is located in the coastal town of Sarti, within the Municipality of Sithonia, Central Macedonia, Greece. It serves a population of approximately 2,608 residents and is designed to handle a capacity of 15,000 m³ per day, with an average discharge volume of 884.32 m³ per day. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. This level of treatment is particularly important for sensitive coastal areas, as it provides enhanced nutrient removal to protect marine ecosystems. The treated effluent is discharged into the Aegean Sea, a semi-enclosed sea with limited water exchange, making it vulnerable to eutrophication. The advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading, supporting the ecological health of the surrounding coastal waters and the rich marine biodiversity of the region.

The plant discharges into the Aegean Sea, which receives waters from numerous rivers and streams along the Greek coastline. The coastal waters near Sarti support diverse marine life, including seagrass meadows and fish spawning grounds. Advanced treatment reduces the risk of nutrient enrichment, which can lead to algal blooms and oxygen depletion in this ecologically sensitive marine environment.