IMPIANTO C DA BEATRICE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vicari, Sicily

IMPIANTO C DA BEATRICE is a wastewater treatment facility located in Vicari, a town in the province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,100 residents and has a designed capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 613.69 cubic meters per day. The plant provides primary treatment, which involves physical processes such as sedimentation to remove suspended solids. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) between 2,000 and 10,000 are generally required to have secondary treatment. However, primary treatment may be acceptable in certain circumstances, such as discharge to deep sea outfalls or less sensitive areas. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Tyrrhenian Sea via the surrounding river network. The region's water bodies support diverse aquatic life and are important for local agriculture and tourism. Proper treatment helps protect downstream ecosystems and coastal water quality.

The plant discharges into the local watershed near Vicari, which flows through the Imera Settentrionale river basin and eventually reaches the Tyrrhenian Sea. This coastal area supports marine biodiversity and is used for fishing and recreation. The receiving waters are ecologically sensitive, and primary treatment may not fully remove nutrients, posing potential risks to downstream water quality.