DEPURATORE DI CLES Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ville d'Anaunia, Italy

DEPURATORE DI CLES is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Ville d'Anaunia, within the Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy. The facility serves a population of approximately 14,035 people, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under EU classification. Its location in the Val di Non valley, surrounded by the Dolomites, provides a unique alpine setting for wastewater management. As an Italian plant serving over 10,000 people, DEPURATORE DI CLES is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment as a minimum standard. The directive also mandates more advanced treatment if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas. Given the alpine environment and potential sensitivity of local water bodies, the plant likely employs biological treatment processes to meet stringent effluent quality standards. The treated effluent from DEPURATORE DI CLES is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Noce River, a tributary of the Adige River. The Adige flows south through Trentino and Veneto before entering the Adriatic Sea near Chioggia. This connection to the Adriatic underscores the plant's role in protecting both local streams and the broader marine ecosystem from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.

The plant discharges into the Noce River, which flows into the Adige River, one of Italy's major waterways. The Adige ultimately reaches the Adriatic Sea, a semi-enclosed basin sensitive to nutrient inputs. The surrounding Val di Non region is known for its apple orchards and alpine biodiversity, making protection of local streams critical for both agriculture and aquatic life. The plant's treatment performance directly influences water quality in the Adige basin and the northern Adriatic.