DP01900301_ANNICCO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Annicco, Lombardia, Italy

DP01900301_ANNICCO is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Annicco, a municipality in the province of Cremona, Lombardia, Italy. The plant serves a population equivalent of 2,187, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Italian and EU regulations. Its designed capacity is 3,350 m³/day, and it currently discharges 432.95 m³/day of treated wastewater. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), advanced treatment is required for discharges into sensitive areas, such as those prone to eutrophication. Italy has designated many water bodies as sensitive, particularly in the Po River basin, where this plant is located. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Po River, Italy's longest river, which flows into the Adriatic Sea. The Po basin supports intensive agriculture and diverse aquatic life, making nutrient removal critical to prevent algal blooms and protect downstream ecosystems. The plant's advanced treatment helps mitigate these risks.

The plant discharges into the Po River basin, which flows eastward through northern Italy and empties into the Adriatic Sea. The Po River delta is an ecologically sensitive area that supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species. Advanced treatment at this plant reduces nutrient loads, helping to prevent eutrophication in the Adriatic coastal zone.