CDA_Gorgazzo Wastewater Treatment Plant, Salemi, Sicily

CDA_Gorgazzo is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Paese Nuovo, Salemi, in the province of Trapani, Sicily, Italy. The plant serves a small community of approximately 1,000 residents, reflecting the rural character of the area. It operates under Italy's implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which sets standards for collection and treatment of urban wastewater. The plant provides secondary treatment, a biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 1,500 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 197.96 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. The facility is not within 10 km of the coast but lies within 50 km, placing it in a coastal catchment area. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain toward the Mediterranean Sea. The region's watershed supports agricultural activities and Mediterranean ecosystems. Proper treatment helps protect downstream water quality and marine habitats from nutrient pollution and pathogens.

The plant discharges into small streams that flow toward the Mediterranean Sea near the Gulf of Trapani. This coastal watershed supports diverse marine life and seagrass meadows, which are sensitive to nutrient enrichment. Effective secondary treatment reduces organic load and suspended solids, helping to maintain the ecological balance of the receiving waters and the downstream marine environment.