Impianto C da Buffa Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vallelunga Pratameno, Sicily

Impianto C da Buffa is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Vallelunga Pratameno, a town in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,215 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Italian and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per day and a reported discharge volume of 645 cubic meters, the plant operates well within its capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's water resources, including downstream aquatic ecosystems and coastal waters, by reducing organic pollutants and nutrients before discharge.

The plant discharges into the inland watershed of central Sicily, which drains via seasonal streams and rivers toward the southern coast of the island and the Mediterranean Sea. The region's semi-arid climate means that water resources are limited, making effective wastewater treatment critical for protecting local water quality and supporting downstream ecosystems, including coastal marine habitats.