Depuratore La Quercia - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Vitorchiano, Lazio

Depuratore La Quercia is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Vitorchiano, a town in the Lazio region of central Italy. The facility serves a small population of approximately 400 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or peri-urban setting. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and operates as part of Italy's municipal wastewater infrastructure. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 600 cubic meters per day and a current discharge volume of 79.19 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variations. As an Italian plant, it falls under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which mandates appropriate treatment levels based on the sensitivity of receiving waters and population served. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Tiber River basin, which flows through Lazio and into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the local watershed and downstream aquatic ecosystems, including the Tiber River and its associated habitats.

The plant discharges into local streams that feed into the Tiber River basin, which flows through central Italy and empties into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Tiber River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor in the region. Advanced treatment at this facility helps reduce nutrient loading and protects downstream water quality in this sensitive watershed.