GUASTALLA_SUD Wastewater Treatment Plant, Guastalla, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

GUASTALLA_SUD is a wastewater treatment plant located in Guastalla, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. The facility serves a population of about 8,460 residents, making it a small to medium-sized agglomeration under EU classification. It is situated in the Po River basin, a major agricultural and industrial area. As an Italian plant, GUASTALLA_SUD operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The directive also mandates more stringent treatment if the discharge enters sensitive areas. Typical plants of this scale in Italy employ activated sludge or similar biological treatment. The treated effluent is likely discharged into a local watercourse that eventually flows into the Po River, which drains into the Adriatic Sea. The Po basin supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor. The plant plays a key role in protecting local water quality and downstream environments.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Po River, Italy's longest river, which flows eastward into the Adriatic Sea. The Po basin is a densely populated and agriculturally intensive region, making wastewater treatment critical for preventing eutrophication and safeguarding aquatic habitats. The downstream environment includes the Po Delta, a ecologically sensitive area that supports diverse bird species and fish populations.