LONGOBUCCO_ORTIANO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Longobucco, Calabria

LONGOBUCCO_ORTIANO is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Longobucco, a town in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, Italy. The plant serves a small population of 184 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or small community setting within the mountainous region of southern Italy. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 250 cubic meters per day and a current discharge volume of 36.43 cubic meters per day, the plant operates well below its capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), advanced treatment is typically required for discharges into sensitive areas, though for small agglomerations like this, secondary treatment is the standard. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Ionian Sea. The plant's location inland, more than 10 km from the coast, reduces direct marine impact. The surrounding environment includes the Sila mountain range and the Neto River basin, which support diverse aquatic life and are important for regional water resources.

The plant discharges into local streams that feed into the Neto River, one of the major rivers in Calabria, which flows into the Ionian Sea. The Ionian Sea is a semi-enclosed basin with important marine ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and fish spawning grounds. The advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality and supports the ecological health of the river and coastal waters.