IMPIANTO_2_C_DA_PIETRAROTTA, Caltanissetta

Overview

IMPIANTO_2_C_DA_PIETRAROTTA is a secondary wastewater treatment plant serving Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy. It treats wastewater for a population equivalent of 500 with a designed capacity of 500 m³/day.

IMPIANTO_2_C_DA_PIETRAROTTA is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Caltanissetta, the capital of the province of Caltanissetta in Sicily, Italy. The plant serves a small agglomeration of approximately 500 people, reflecting the scale of a small community within the Sicilian hinterland. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for discharges into freshwater and estuaries. With a designed capacity of 500 m³/day and a discharge volume of 98.98 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea. The plant plays a crucial role in protecting the region's water resources, particularly the sensitive karstic aquifers of Sicily, by reducing organic load and nutrients before discharge.

Environmental context

The plant discharges into the inland watershed of Sicily, which drains into the Mediterranean Sea. The region is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, leading to seasonal variations in flow. The local environment includes karstic landscapes and sensitive groundwater systems that require protection from nutrient pollution. The plant's secondary treatment helps mitigate eutrophication risks in downstream coastal waters.

Frequently asked questions

The plant is located in Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy, at Viale Trieste 51 in the Quartiere Provvidenza area.

The plant serves a population equivalent of 500 people, typical of a small community in the Sicilian hinterland.

The treated effluent is discharged into the local inland watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea.

Under the EU UWWTD (91/271/EEC), plants serving agglomerations of this size are required to provide secondary treatment, which this plant meets.

For small agglomerations in Italy, secondary treatment is standard, often using biological processes like activated sludge or trickling filters, as required by national implementation of the EU UWWTD.