DEP_COM_SANTA_SEVERA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Santa Severa, Santa Marinella

DEP_COM_SANTA_SEVERA is a wastewater treatment plant located in the locality of Santa Severa, within the municipality of Santa Marinella, in the Lazio region of Italy. The plant serves a small population of 400 people and is situated along the Via Aurelia, a historic Roman road, near the Tyrrhenian coast. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment requirements of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For small agglomerations under 2,000 population equivalent, the directive requires appropriate treatment, and Italy's national regulations often mandate advanced treatment in sensitive coastal areas to protect marine water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into the Tyrrhenian Sea, as the plant is within 10 km of the coast. The local watershed includes small coastal streams that drain directly into the sea. The discharge contributes to the health of the coastal marine ecosystem, supporting biodiversity and recreational uses of the shoreline.

The plant discharges into the Tyrrhenian Sea, part of the Mediterranean Sea, which is a semi-enclosed basin with limited water exchange. The coastal waters near Santa Severa support seagrass meadows and diverse marine life. Advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading and protects the sensitive marine environment from eutrophication.