DP01618802_S_GIOVANNI_BIANCO_PIAZZALUNGA - Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in San Giovanni Bianco, Italy

DP01618802_S_GIOVANNI_BIANCO_PIAZZALUNGA is an advanced wastewater treatment facility located in San Giovanni Bianco, a municipality in the Brembana Valley, Lombardy, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,115 residents and is situated along the SS470 road in the Fuipiano al Brembo area. As a small-scale agglomeration, it plays a key role in managing local domestic wastewater. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 1,000 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 418.70 m³/day, the facility operates well within its capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), advanced treatment is typically required for discharges into sensitive areas, and Italy has designated many water bodies as sensitive, particularly in the Po River basin. The treated effluent is discharged into the local water system, which ultimately drains into the Brembo River, a tributary of the Adda River, and then into the Po River before reaching the Adriatic Sea. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the ecological quality of the Brembo Valley, a region known for its mountainous terrain and biodiversity. By reducing nutrient loads, the facility supports the health of downstream aquatic ecosystems.

The plant discharges into the Brembo River, which flows through the Brembana Valley and joins the Adda River near Bergamo. The Adda then feeds into the Po River, Italy's longest river, which empties into the Adriatic Sea. The Brembo River supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as trout and grayling, and its water quality is critical for downstream irrigation and drinking water supplies. Advanced treatment at this plant helps minimize nutrient pollution, protecting the river's ecological balance.