DP09801201_CASELLE_LURANI Wastewater Treatment Plant, Calvenzano, Lombardia

DP09801201_CASELLE_LURANI is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in the rural area of Calvenzano, within the municipality of Caselle Lurani, in the Lombardia region of northern Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,247 people, reflecting its role in managing domestic wastewater for a small agglomeration in the Po Valley. As an advanced treatment facility, the plant goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which is critical for protecting sensitive water bodies. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), Italy classifies many areas as sensitive, requiring tertiary treatment for agglomerations above 10,000 population equivalent. Although this plant serves fewer than 10,000 people, its advanced treatment level aligns with regional environmental goals for the Po River basin. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways 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 ecosystems, making nutrient removal essential to prevent eutrophication in the Adriatic. The plant's advanced treatment helps reduce the nutrient load entering this ecologically important river system.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Po River, which flows eastward through the Po Valley and into the Adriatic Sea. The Po basin is a densely populated agricultural region where nutrient pollution from wastewater and fertilizers can cause algal blooms and hypoxia in the Adriatic. Advanced treatment at this plant helps mitigate these impacts by reducing nitrogen and phosphorus loads, supporting the ecological health of the river and its delta.