DP01208402_ISPRA_C_NA_ANTONIETTA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ispra, Italy

DP01208402_ISPRA_C_NA_ANTONIETTA is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Ispra, a town in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,000 residents and has a designed capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 593.89 cubic meters per day. As an advanced treatment facility, it goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants, meeting stringent standards under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For agglomerations of this size, the directive requires secondary treatment, but Italy has designated many sensitive areas where advanced (tertiary) treatment is mandatory to protect water quality. The plant discharges treated effluent into the local water system, which ultimately drains into Lake Maggiore, a large subalpine lake shared with Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is a significant ecological and recreational resource, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a drinking water source for downstream communities. The advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading and protects the lake's ecosystem.

The plant's treated effluent flows into the local drainage network, which feeds into Lake Maggiore via the Ticino River. Lake Maggiore is a deep, oligo-mesotrophic lake that supports a rich biodiversity, including endemic fish species and migratory birds. The advanced treatment reduces phosphorus and nitrogen inputs, helping to prevent eutrophication and maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive subalpine lake.