FAETO_1 Wastewater Treatment Plant, Faeto, Puglia, Italy

FAETO_1 is a wastewater treatment plant located in Faeto, a small town in the province of Foggia, Puglia, Italy. The plant serves a population of about 940 residents and is part of the region's municipal wastewater infrastructure. As a secondary treatment facility, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant has a designed capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day and currently discharges approximately 328 cubic meters per day, indicating it operates well below its capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), plants serving agglomerations of this size (under 2,000 population equivalent) are typically required to provide appropriate treatment, and secondary treatment meets this standard for inland areas. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Adriatic Sea via the Candelaro River and the Gulf of Manfredonia. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's water quality, supporting both local ecosystems and downstream coastal environments.

FAETO_1 discharges into the Candelaro River basin, which flows into the Gulf of Manfredonia and ultimately the Adriatic Sea. The area supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a broader Mediterranean coastal ecosystem. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads and organic pollution, safeguarding water quality in the river and downstream marine environment.