CASTELMEZZANO CDA VITICELLE Wastewater Treatment Plant, San Chirico Raparo, Basilicata

CASTELMEZZANO CDA VITICELLE is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in San Chirico Raparo, within the province of Potenza in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. The plant serves a small community of about 980 residents, reflecting the rural character of the area. The facility provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations with a population equivalent between 2,000 and 10,000. Although the plant's population served is below 2,000, secondary treatment ensures effective removal of organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Ionian Sea via the Basento or Agri river basins. The plant's inland location, more than 10 km from the coast, reduces direct marine impact, but the receiving waters support diverse aquatic life and are part of the broader Mediterranean watershed.

The plant discharges into small streams that feed into the Basento or Agri river systems, which flow eastward to the Ionian Sea. These rivers support local biodiversity and are used for irrigation and recreation. The Ionian Sea coast near Basilicata includes important marine habitats, and the plant's secondary treatment helps protect downstream water quality from nutrient pollution.