MONTA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Montà, Piemonte, Italy

MONTA is a wastewater treatment plant located in Montà, a town in the province of Cuneo, Piemonte, Italy. The facility serves a population of approximately 3,000 residents, making it a small-scale municipal treatment plant. It is situated in the Po River basin, which is the largest river basin in Italy. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The directive mandates secondary treatment for populations between 2,000 and 10,000 in inland areas. The plant has a designed capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day, matching the population served, and currently discharges an average of 823.86 cubic meters per day. Treated effluent from MONTA likely discharges into a local watercourse that flows into the Po River, eventually reaching the Adriatic Sea. The Po River basin supports diverse aquatic life and is an important agricultural and ecological corridor in northern Italy. Proper treatment helps protect downstream water quality and ecosystems.

MONTA discharges into the Po River basin, which drains into the Adriatic Sea. The Po River is Italy's longest river and supports a rich ecosystem, including fish species such as sturgeon and eel. The basin is also a major agricultural region, making nutrient removal from wastewater critical to prevent eutrophication in the Adriatic. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and protect downstream water quality.