Donori Loc Tuerra Wastewater Treatment Plant, Donori, Sardinia

Donori Loc Tuerra is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Donori, a municipality in the province of Cagliari on the island of Sardinia, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,062 residents, reflecting its role in managing domestic wastewater for this small inland community. The facility operates with advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 4,049 cubic meters per day and an average discharge volume of 606.17 cubic meters per day, the plant has ample capacity to handle current loads. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), plants serving agglomerations under 10,000 population equivalent are generally required to provide secondary treatment, but Italy often mandates advanced treatment in sensitive areas like Sardinia to protect coastal and groundwater resources. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain toward the southern coast of Sardinia, ultimately reaching the Tyrrhenian Sea. The plant's advanced treatment helps safeguard the region's aquatic ecosystems and supports the island's water quality goals, particularly given the Mediterranean climate and the importance of tourism and agriculture in the area.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow toward the southern Sardinian coast, eventually reaching the Tyrrhenian Sea. This coastal region supports diverse marine life and is ecologically sensitive due to its Mediterranean climate and seasonal water scarcity. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting downstream habitats and the coastal zone from eutrophication.