IDL_RAPOLANO_ARMAIOLO, Rapolano Terme

Overview

IDL_RAPOLANO_ARMAIOLO is a secondary wastewater treatment plant serving Rapolano Terme, Tuscany, Italy. It treats wastewater for approximately 4,134 people with a designed capacity of 10,000 m³/day.

IDL_RAPOLANO_ARMAIOLO is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Armaiolo, a frazione of Rapolano Terme in the province of Siena, Tuscany, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,134 people, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category under Italian and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for inland freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity of 10,000 m³/day indicates infrastructure built to accommodate future growth or seasonal tourist flows typical of the Tuscan countryside. Treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Ombrone River basin and then into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The region is known for its thermal springs and agricultural landscape, making proper wastewater treatment essential for protecting both groundwater quality and downstream ecosystems.

Environmental context

The plant discharges into the Ombrone River basin, which flows through southern Tuscany and empties into the Tyrrhenian Sea near Grosseto. The Ombrone supports diverse aquatic life and is an important corridor for migratory fish. Downstream areas include wetlands and coastal habitats that rely on good water quality for ecological balance and tourism.

Frequently asked questions

The plant is located in Armaiolo, a frazione of Rapolano Terme, in the province of Siena, Tuscany, Italy.

The plant serves approximately 4,134 people, classifying it as a small-to-medium agglomeration under EU regulations.

Treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that flow into the Ombrone River basin, eventually reaching the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for inland discharges from agglomerations of this size.

As an Italian plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), transposed into Italian law, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations with a population equivalent above 2,000.