IMPIANTO C DA LUSIA COMUNALE - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ragusa, Sicily

IMPIANTO C DA LUSIA COMUNALE is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Ragusa, Sicily, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 28,600 people and has a designed capacity of 40,000 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 0.06 million cubic meters per year. 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. The directive mandates secondary treatment for all discharges from agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) greater than 2,000, and more stringent treatment in sensitive areas. The treated effluent is discharged into the local environment, with the plant located within 10 km of the coast. The receiving water body ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea, which is a sensitive marine ecosystem. The plant plays a key role in protecting coastal water quality and supporting the ecological health of the Ionian Sea.

The plant discharges treated wastewater into the local watershed, which flows into the Ionian Sea near Ragusa. The Mediterranean Sea is a semi-enclosed sea with limited water exchange, making it sensitive to nutrient pollution. The secondary treatment provided by the plant helps reduce organic load and suspended solids, protecting coastal habitats and supporting biodiversity in the region.