CASTELSILANO_CANALICCHIO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Verzino, Calabria, Italy

CASTELSILANO_CANALICCHIO is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Verzino, within the province of Crotone in the Calabria region of southern Italy. The plant serves a population of 1,600 and is situated inland, more than 10 km from the coast, in a hilly area typical of the Calabrian landscape. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 1,200 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 316.74 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. It is assumed to be active based on discharge data. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that eventually flows into the Ionian Sea, contributing to the health of downstream aquatic ecosystems. The plant plays a key role in protecting local water quality and supporting the ecological balance of the region's rivers and coastal waters.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Neto River basin, which flows eastward into the Ionian Sea near Crotone. This coastal area supports diverse marine life and is important for local fisheries. The secondary treatment process reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping to maintain water quality in the river and downstream marine environment, which is sensitive to nutrient loading and pollution from inland sources.