DP01500201_ABBIATEGRASSO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Abbiategrasso, Lombardy

DP01500201_ABBIATEGRASSO is a wastewater treatment plant located in Abbiategrasso, a town in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 36,605, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under EU regulations. It is situated inland, more than 50 km from the coast, and discharges into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Po River basin. As an Italian plant serving a population equivalent of over 10,000, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment as a minimum. For agglomerations between 10,000 and 150,000 population equivalent, the directive mandates secondary treatment unless the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas, in which case more stringent treatment may apply. The regulatory framework ensures compliance with national and EU standards. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the local hydrographic network, which flows into the Ticino River, a major tributary of the Po River. The Po River basin is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing water for agriculture and industry in northern Italy. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Ticino and Po rivers from urban pollution.

The plant discharges into the local drainage network that feeds the Ticino River, a major left-bank tributary of the Po River. The Po River basin is the largest in Italy, supporting extensive agricultural irrigation and diverse aquatic ecosystems. Downstream, the Po River flows into the Adriatic Sea, forming a delta that is an important migratory corridor for birds and a nursery for fish species. The plant's treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads entering this sensitive river system.