Bonito Irpino Impianto di Bonito - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bonito, Campania

The Bonito Irpino Impianto di Bonito is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Bonito, within the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,800 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Italian and EU regulations. Its designed capacity is 2,200 m³/day, with an average daily discharge of 356.34 m³/day. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, ensuring compliance with EU effluent quality standards. The plant operates under Italy's national implementation of the directive, overseen by regional environmental authorities. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Ufita River, a tributary of the Calore Irpino River, which eventually flows into the Volturno River and then into the Tyrrhenian Sea. This watershed supports agricultural activities and diverse aquatic habitats in the Campania region. The plant's operation helps protect downstream water quality and the ecological health of the Volturno basin.

The plant discharges into the Ufita River, which flows into the Calore Irpino River, a major tributary of the Volturno River. The Volturno is the longest river in southern Italy and empties into the Tyrrhenian Sea near Castel Volturno. This watershed supports irrigated agriculture, wetlands, and estuarine ecosystems. The secondary treatment provided by the plant reduces organic pollution and nutrient loads, helping to maintain water quality in a region where agricultural runoff and urban discharges can stress aquatic life.