DP01211401_PORTO_VAL_TRAVAGLIA_CAVE_DEL_TRIGO - Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Muceno, Italy

Located in Muceno, a frazione of Porto Valtravaglia in the Lombardy region of Italy, this advanced wastewater treatment plant serves a population of about 3,900 residents. The facility is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore, a major subalpine lake that forms part of the Ticino River basin. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a design capacity of 12,000 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of approximately 772 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. As an Italian facility, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires advanced treatment for discharges into sensitive areas like Lake Maggiore. Treated effluent from the plant likely discharges into a tributary or directly into Lake Maggiore, which flows into the Ticino River and eventually the Po River and the Adriatic Sea. Lake Maggiore supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological and recreational resource. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect water quality in this sensitive alpine lake ecosystem.

The plant discharges into the Lake Maggiore watershed, a large subalpine lake that drains via the Ticino River into the Po River and ultimately the Adriatic Sea. Lake Maggiore is an ecologically sensitive water body that supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as whitefish and perch, and provides habitat for migratory birds. Advanced treatment is critical to prevent nutrient enrichment and maintain water quality in this important recreational and ecological resource.