Overview
MATELICA_DEP serves the town of Matelica in the Marche region of Italy, treating wastewater for approximately 10,422 people. The plant discharges into the local watershed, ultimately draining into the Adriatic Sea.
MATELICA_DEP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Matelica, a town in the province of Macerata, Marche, central Italy. The facility serves a population of around 10,422, classifying it as a medium agglomeration under Italian and EU regulations. As a plant operating under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), MATELICA_DEP is required to provide secondary treatment as a minimum standard for agglomerations of this size. The directive also mandates more advanced treatment if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas, which is common in regions draining to the Adriatic. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into the local water system, which flows into the Potenza River or a nearby tributary, eventually reaching the Adriatic Sea. This coastal discharge contributes to the nutrient load in the Adriatic, a semi-enclosed sea with sensitive ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and fisheries.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters the Potenza River basin, which flows eastward through the Marche region into the Adriatic Sea. The Adriatic is a shallow, semi-enclosed sea with limited water exchange, making it susceptible to eutrophication from nutrient inputs. The downstream environment supports diverse marine life, including commercial fish species and protected habitats such as seagrass beds. Effective nutrient removal at the plant helps mitigate algal blooms and preserve water quality in the coastal zone.
Frequently asked questions
MATELICA_DEP is located in Matelica, a town in the province of Macerata, in the Marche region of central Italy.
The plant serves approximately 10,422 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local water system, which flows into the Potenza River basin and eventually reaches the Adriatic Sea.
As an Italian plant, MATELICA_DEP operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations over 2,000 population equivalent.
For medium agglomerations like Matelica, secondary treatment is standard. If the receiving waters are sensitive, tertiary treatment for nutrient removal may be required to protect the Adriatic Sea.
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