Guardia P Fontana Coperta Wastewater Treatment Plant, Guardia Perticara, Basilicata

Guardia P Fontana Coperta is a wastewater treatment plant located in Guardia Perticara, a small town in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. The plant serves a population of 160, classifying it as a very small agglomeration under Italian and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for all agglomerations. With a designed capacity of 500 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 31.67 m³/day, the plant operates well below its design capacity, indicating ample headroom for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Ionian Sea via the Basento River or nearby streams. The Basento River is a key watercourse in Basilicata, supporting agricultural irrigation and local ecosystems. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect the receiving water body from organic pollution and eutrophication risks.

The plant discharges into the Basento River basin, which flows eastward into the Gulf of Taranto in the Ionian Sea. This coastal area supports diverse marine life and is important for local fisheries. The secondary treatment reduces biochemical oxygen demand and suspended solids, mitigating impacts on the river's aquatic ecosystem and downstream coastal waters.