Impianto Castiglione C. da S. Francesco - Wastewater Treatment Plant in Castiglione di Sicilia, Sicily

Impianto Castiglione C. da S. Francesco is a wastewater treatment plant located in Castiglione di Sicilia, a town in the province of Catania, Sicily, Italy. The plant serves a population of 1,852 and has a designed capacity of 2,000 cubic meters per day, with a discharge volume of 366.63 cubic meters per day. The plant provides primary treatment, which involves physical processes such as sedimentation to remove 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, this plant serves a population below 2,000, and primary treatment may be considered appropriate depending on the receiving water body's sensitivity. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Ionian Sea. The region's aquatic ecosystems benefit from the plant's operation, as it reduces pollutant loads entering the coastal environment, supporting marine biodiversity and water quality.

The plant discharges into the local watershed that flows towards the Ionian Sea, a part of the Mediterranean Sea. The coastal waters near Castiglione di Sicilia support diverse marine life and are important for local fisheries and tourism. The primary treatment process removes settleable solids, reducing the organic load and protecting downstream aquatic habitats from excessive nutrient enrichment.