CICALA_CASTAGNETO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bianco, Calabria, Italy

CICALA_CASTAGNETO is a wastewater treatment plant located in Bianco, in the province of Reggio Calabria, Calabria, Italy. The plant serves a small population of approximately 1,000 people and is situated near the Ionian Sea coast, within 10 km of the shoreline. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 700 cubic meters per day and a current discharge volume of about 198 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well below its capacity. As an Italian plant, it falls under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires appropriate treatment levels based on the sensitivity of receiving waters. The treated effluent is discharged into the local environment, ultimately reaching the Ionian Sea. The coastal waters in this region support diverse marine life and are important for local fisheries and tourism. The advanced treatment level helps protect the sensitive marine ecosystem from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.

The plant discharges into the Ionian Sea, a deep basin of the Mediterranean Sea. The coastal area near Bianco features rocky shores and small beaches, supporting a variety of marine species including fish, mollusks, and crustaceans. The advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing eutrophication in the nutrient-sensitive Mediterranean coastal waters.