CAPOLUOGO_EST Wastewater Treatment Plant, Civitella di Nesce, Lazio, Italy

CAPOLUOGO_EST is a wastewater treatment facility located in Civitella di Nesce, a frazione of Pescorocchiano in the province of Rieti, Lazio, Italy. The plant serves a small population of 250 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or small community setting within the Apennine region. 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 300 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 49.49 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal demand. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Tyrrhenian Sea via the Tiber River basin. The advanced treatment level ensures high-quality effluent, protecting the sensitive karstic aquifers and streams of the Lazio region, which support diverse aquatic life and are important for local water resources.

The plant discharges into small streams that feed the Salto River, a tributary of the Velino River, which flows into the Nera River and then the Tiber River, eventually reaching the Tyrrhenian Sea. The watershed includes karstic aquifers and sensitive freshwater ecosystems that support endemic fish species and migratory birds. Advanced treatment helps protect these habitats from nutrient pollution and contaminants.