ACRI_CHIMENTO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Acri, Calabria, Italy

ACRI_CHIMENTO is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Acri, a town in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, Italy. The facility serves a population of around 850, making it a small-scale plant within the region's wastewater infrastructure. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 1,000 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 168.27 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth. As an Italian plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires appropriate treatment levels based on the sensitivity of receiving waters. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Ionian Sea via the Crati River basin. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the region's rivers and the downstream marine environment, supporting both ecological health and local communities.

The plant discharges into the Crati River basin, which flows into the Gulf of Taranto in the Ionian Sea. This coastal area supports diverse marine life and is important for local fisheries. The advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting the downstream ecosystem from eutrophication and maintaining water quality for recreational and economic uses.