LOC_PATARELLO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Italy - Coastal Protection

LOC_PATARELLO is a wastewater treatment plant situated in Italy, serving a population of around 121,300. The plant's location near the coast underscores its role in protecting marine environments from pollution. As a medium-to-large agglomeration, it falls under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment as a minimum, with tertiary treatment required in sensitive areas. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in thousands of cubic meters per day), indicating a facility sized for its population. Under EU regulations, plants serving over 100,000 people must achieve secondary treatment, and if discharging into sensitive areas, additional nutrient removal is required. The regulatory framework ensures compliance with European standards. The plant discharges into a water body that ultimately reaches the Mediterranean Sea, given its proximity to the coast. This makes it critical for controlling nutrient and pollutant loads that could affect coastal ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and marine biodiversity. The local watershed contributes to the broader Ligurian Sea basin, supporting tourism and fisheries.

LOC_PATARELLO discharges into a water body that flows to the Ligurian Sea, part of the Mediterranean Sea. The coastal environment supports diverse marine life, including seagrass habitats and fish spawning grounds. Nutrient inputs from wastewater must be managed to prevent eutrophication and algal blooms, which can degrade water quality and harm local ecosystems.