AVIANO_PIANCAVALLO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Aviano, Italy

AVIANO_PIANCAVALLO is a wastewater treatment plant located in the municipality of Aviano, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy. The plant serves a small population of 677 people, primarily from the Piancavallo area, a mountain resort in the Carnic Prealps. It is situated at an elevation in the alpine foothills, reflecting the region's mountainous terrain. 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. With a designed capacity of 3000 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 134.02 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal demand. As an advanced treatment plant, it likely incorporates nutrient removal to protect sensitive receiving waters. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Adriatic Sea via the Livenza or Tagliamento river systems. The region is known for its karst topography and sensitive aquatic ecosystems, including the nearby Friuli-Venezia Giulia coastal wetlands. The advanced treatment level helps minimize nutrient loading and protects downstream biodiversity in the Adriatic basin.

The plant discharges into small mountain streams that feed into the Meduna or Cellina rivers, tributaries of the Livenza River, which flows into the northern Adriatic Sea near Caorle. This coastal area includes ecologically sensitive lagoons and wetlands that support diverse birdlife and fish species. The advanced treatment ensures low nutrient and pollutant loads, protecting the fragile karst hydrology and downstream marine habitats from eutrophication.