LUCINA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Rapino, Italy

LUCINA is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Rapino, in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy. It serves a population of approximately 2,100 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Italian and EU regulations. The plant is situated inland, more than 10 km from the coast, and its treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 2,500 m³/day and an average daily flow of 630 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The receiving water body is not explicitly named, but the plant's location in the Apennine foothills suggests discharge into a tributary of the Aterno-Pescara river system, which flows into the Adriatic Sea. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional agriculture and tourism. Proper treatment helps protect downstream ecosystems and coastal water quality in the Adriatic Sea.

The plant discharges into a local watercourse that is part of the Aterno-Pescara river basin, ultimately reaching the Adriatic Sea. This watershed supports diverse aquatic habitats and is used for irrigation and recreation. The inland location reduces direct marine impact, but the effluent still influences downstream water quality in the Adriatic coastal zone, which is ecologically sensitive due to its biodiversity and tourism value.