ACQUALAGNA_AQL_DEP Wastewater Treatment Plant, Acqualagna, Marche, Italy

ACQUALAGNA_AQL_DEP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Acqualagna, a town in the Marche region of central Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,429 residents and operates with a designed capacity of 4,000 cubic meters per day, currently treating 662.40 cubic meters daily. Its location along Strada Statale 3 Via Flaminia places it within the inland area of the Apennine foothills, more than 10 kilometers from the Adriatic coast. 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 with a population equivalent between 2,000 and 10,000. Secondary treatment typically involves biological oxidation and sedimentation to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. As a plant serving fewer than 10,000 people, it meets the directive's requirements for secondary treatment before discharge. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Adriatic Sea via the Metauro River basin. The Marche region's rivers support diverse aquatic life and are important for regional agriculture and tourism. Proper treatment helps protect the ecological health of these waterways and the coastal Adriatic ecosystem.

The plant discharges into the Metauro River basin, which flows eastward through the Marche region into the Adriatic Sea. This watershed supports a variety of freshwater species and is used for irrigation and recreation. The Adriatic Sea is a semi-enclosed basin with sensitive coastal ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and fish nursery areas. Effective secondary treatment reduces nutrient and organic loads, helping to prevent eutrophication and maintain water quality in downstream environments.