MAIERA_IARDINO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Destro, Calabria, Italy

MAIERA_IARDINO is a wastewater treatment plant located in Destro, a locality in the municipality of Longobucco, within the province of Cosenza, Calabria, Italy. The plant serves a population of 2,340 people, placing it in the small agglomeration category under Italian and EU regulations. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 1,000 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 463.24 m³/day, the plant operates well within its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal fluctuations. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Ionian Sea. The plant's location in the Calabrian Apennines means it plays a key role in protecting the region's rivers and coastal waters from nutrient pollution, supporting both local ecosystems and downstream marine environments.

The plant discharges into streams that flow through the Sila mountain range and eventually reach the Ionian Sea near the Gulf of Taranto. This coastal area supports diverse marine life and is important for local fisheries. Advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting the sensitive coastal ecosystem from eutrophication.