MATTATOIO_SRN_DEP Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, Sarnano, Marche, Italy

MATTATOIO_SRN_DEP is an advanced wastewater treatment facility located in Sarnano, a town in the Marche region of central Italy. The plant serves a small population of 634 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or small urban community. Its location along Strada Statale 78 Picena places it within the Apennine foothills, an area characterized by rolling hills and agricultural land. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. This level of treatment is typical for plants discharging into sensitive environments, as required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The plant has a designed capacity of 1,000 cubic meters per day and currently discharges an average of 125.51 cubic meters per day, indicating significant spare capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Adriatic Sea via the Potenza or Chienti river basins. The Marche region's rivers support diverse aquatic ecosystems and are important for irrigation and recreation. Advanced treatment helps protect these water bodies from eutrophication and other pollution impacts.

The plant discharges into a small tributary of the Potenza or Chienti river system, which flows eastward through the Marche region into the Adriatic Sea. The Adriatic Sea is a semi-enclosed basin with limited water exchange, making it sensitive to nutrient pollution. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loads, protecting coastal water quality and marine habitats such as seagrass meadows and fish nursery areas.