IMPIANTO_VIA_C_MARX Wastewater Treatment Plant, Santa Elisabetta, Sicily

IMPIANTO_VIA_C_MARX is a wastewater treatment plant located in Santa Elisabetta, in the province of Agrigento, Sicily, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,200 people, placing it in the small agglomeration category under Italian and EU regulations. The plant provides primary treatment, which involves physical processes like sedimentation to remove solids. With a designed capacity of 4,200 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 633.49 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations of this size are generally required to provide secondary treatment, though primary treatment may be permitted in certain coastal areas with adequate dilution. The plant is located within 10 km of the coast, discharging treated wastewater into the Mediterranean Sea. The receiving waters support diverse marine life and are part of the broader Sicilian coastal ecosystem. The plant's proximity to the coast underscores the importance of adequate treatment to protect marine water quality.

The plant discharges into the Mediterranean Sea near the southern coast of Sicily. The coastal waters in this region support diverse marine ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and fish nurseries. The discharge point is within a sensitive marine environment where nutrient inputs can affect water quality and biodiversity. The plant's primary treatment level means that only basic solids removal occurs before discharge, which may contribute to local nutrient loading.