ARZANA_LOC_CIDERA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Arzana, Sardinia

ARZANA_LOC_CIDERA is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Arzana, a town in the Ogliastra province of Sardinia, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,929 residents and has a designed capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 579.84 cubic meters per day. As an advanced treatment facility, it goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants, meeting stringent standards under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For agglomerations of this size (under 10,000 population equivalent), the directive requires appropriate treatment, and advanced treatment is often implemented in sensitive areas to protect receiving waters. The plant is located within 10 km of the coast, indicating its treated effluent likely discharges into a coastal water body or a river that flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea. This proximity to the marine environment underscores the importance of advanced treatment to minimize nutrient loading and protect coastal ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and marine biodiversity.

The plant discharges into a coastal watershed that drains into the Tyrrhenian Sea, part of the Mediterranean Sea. The region's coastal waters support diverse marine life, including Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows, which are ecologically sensitive to nutrient pollution. Advanced treatment helps reduce the risk of eutrophication and protects these habitats.