IMPIANTO MERI Wastewater Treatment Plant, Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Sicily

IMPIANTO MERI is a wastewater treatment plant serving the area of Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto in the province of Messina, Sicily, Italy. The plant is situated in the locality of Camicia, Oreto, and is part of the municipal wastewater infrastructure for this coastal town on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The plant provides primary treatment, which involves physical processes such as sedimentation to remove solids. With a designed capacity of 2,500 m³/day, it is classified as a small to medium-scale facility. Under Italian and EU regulations, primary treatment is generally considered a preliminary stage, and plants serving agglomerations of this scale are typically expected to achieve at least secondary treatment under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), unless a less sensitive area designation applies. The treated effluent is discharged into the coastal waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, a basin of the Mediterranean Sea. The discharge location is within 10 km of the coast, making it a coastal discharge. The surrounding marine environment supports diverse aquatic life and is important for local fisheries and tourism. The plant plays a key role in protecting the coastal water quality of this region.

The plant discharges into the Tyrrhenian Sea, part of the Mediterranean Sea, which receives runoff from the Peloritani mountains and the surrounding agricultural and urban areas. The coastal waters near Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto support seagrass meadows and marine biodiversity, making them ecologically sensitive. The discharge of primary-treated effluent may contribute to nutrient loading and potential eutrophication in the nearshore zone, highlighting the importance of adequate treatment for coastal protection.