Overview
IMPIANTO C DA ARENELLA is a secondary wastewater treatment plant serving Santa Caterina Villarmosa, Sicily, Italy. It treats wastewater for 6,500 people with a designed capacity of 6,500 m³/day.
IMPIANTO C DA ARENELLA is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Santa Caterina Villarmosa, a town in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 6,500 people, reflecting its role in managing domestic wastewater for this inland community. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, ensuring effluent quality meets regulatory standards before discharge. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea. The plant's operation helps protect downstream water bodies and supports the ecological health of the region's rivers and coastal waters.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the inland drainage system of central Sicily, which flows through the Salso River basin and eventually reaches the Mediterranean Sea near Licata. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional agriculture. The secondary treatment provided helps reduce nutrient and organic loads, mitigating potential eutrophication and protecting downstream ecosystems.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Santa Caterina Villarmosa, in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy. Its address is Via Caltanissetta, Santa Caterina Villarmosa.
The plant serves a population of approximately 6,500 people, making it a small to medium-sized agglomeration under EU classification.
The treated wastewater is discharged into the local inland watershed, which flows into the Salso River and eventually reaches the Mediterranean Sea.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), plants serving agglomerations of 2,000 to 10,000 population equivalent are required to provide secondary treatment. This plant meets that requirement with its secondary treatment process.
For agglomerations of this size in Italy, secondary treatment is the standard requirement under the EU directive. This typically involves biological treatment such as activated sludge or trickling filters to reduce organic pollutants.
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