Cavaglià Via Santhià Wastewater Treatment Plant, Piemonte, Italy

The Cavaglià Via Santhià wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Cavaglià, in the Piemonte region of northern Italy. The facility serves a population of approximately 3,500 residents, placing it in the small agglomeration category under Italian and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for inland freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 4,000 cubic meters per day and an average daily flow of 960 cubic meters, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Po River basin, one of Italy's most significant hydrological systems. The Po River flows eastward across northern Italy before entering the Adriatic Sea, supporting extensive agricultural activity and diverse aquatic ecosystems along its course.

The plant discharges into small tributaries of the Po River basin, which flows through the Po Valley and into the Adriatic Sea. This watershed supports intensive agriculture and is ecologically sensitive due to nutrient loading from human activities. Secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids, protecting downstream water quality and aquatic life in the Po River and its delta.