Overview
IMPIANTO S. LUCIA DEL MELA C. DA PADURA is a secondary treatment plant serving 1,600 people in Santa Lucia del Mela, Sicily, Italy. It discharges treated wastewater near the Tyrrhenian coast.
IMPIANTO S. LUCIA DEL MELA C. DA PADURA is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Santa Lucia del Mela, a town in the province of Messina, Sicily, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,600 residents, placing it in the small-agglomeration category under Italian and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for inland and coastal discharges. Secondary treatment typically involves biological oxidation and settling to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant's designed capacity is 1,600 cubic meters per day, matching the population served, and it reports a discharge volume of 316.74 cubic meters per day. The treated effluent is discharged into the local environment, which drains toward the Tyrrhenian Sea, a basin of the Mediterranean Sea. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means its discharge can influence coastal water quality. The surrounding area includes agricultural and residential zones, and the receiving waters support marine life and local tourism.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a watershed that flows to the Tyrrhenian Sea, part of the Mediterranean Sea. The coastal zone near Santa Lucia del Mela supports diverse marine ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and fish nurseries. The area is also important for local fisheries and tourism. As a coastal plant, its secondary-treated effluent must meet strict standards to protect sensitive marine habitats from nutrient enrichment and pathogens.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Santa Lucia del Mela, in the province of Messina, Sicily, Italy. Its full address is Via Pattina, Grazia, Santa Lucia del Mela, Messina, Sicilia, 98046.
The plant serves a population of approximately 1,600 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Italian and EU wastewater regulations.
The plant provides secondary treatment and discharges treated effluent into the local watershed, which drains toward the Tyrrhenian Sea. Being within 10 km of the coast, the discharge is subject to coastal discharge standards.
As an Italian plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations above 2,000 population equivalent. For smaller plants like this, secondary treatment is still standard to protect coastal waters.
For small agglomerations in Italy, secondary treatment (biological treatment) is typical. This may include activated sludge or trickling filter processes, followed by disinfection if required for coastal discharge.
Nearby plants