DP01703203_CALCINATO_PONTE_S_MARCO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Calcinato, Lombardy

DP01703203_CALCINATO_PONTE_S_MARCO is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in the Ponte San Marco district of Calcinato, in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, Italy. The plant serves a population of 3,276 and has a designed capacity of 2,000 cubic meters per day, with a discharge volume of 648.53 cubic meters per day. As an advanced treatment facility, it goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants, aligning with the requirements of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for sensitive areas. The plant's scale corresponds to a small agglomeration, for which the directive mandates appropriate treatment to protect receiving waters. The plant discharges treated wastewater into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Po River basin, which flows into the Adriatic Sea. This region is part of the Po Valley, a densely populated and agriculturally intensive area where advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protect downstream ecosystems.

The plant's treated effluent enters local streams that feed into the Po River, Italy's longest river, which flows eastward into the Adriatic Sea. The Po basin supports extensive agriculture and diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species. Advanced treatment at this plant helps minimize nutrient pollution, which is critical for preventing eutrophication in the Adriatic Sea and maintaining water quality in the Po River delta.