Overview
Montescaglioso Cda Fontana di Farsa is a secondary treatment plant serving 4,000 people in Montescaglioso, Basilicata, Italy. It discharges 791.86 m³/day of treated wastewater into local watercourses.
Montescaglioso Cda Fontana di Farsa is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the Basilicata region of southern Italy, serving the town of Montescaglioso. The facility provides secondary treatment for a population of approximately 4,000 residents, with a designed capacity of 3,500 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 791.86 m³/day. As a secondary treatment plant, it meets the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The directive mandates secondary biological treatment for all discharges from populations above 2,000, ensuring removal of organic matter and suspended solids. The plant's capacity utilization suggests it operates well below its design load. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Ionian Sea via the Bradano River basin. The receiving waters support diverse aquatic life and are part of the broader Mediterranean coastal ecosystem. The plant plays a key role in protecting water quality in this agricultural region of Basilicata.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into small watercourses that flow into the Bradano River, which empties into the Gulf of Taranto in the Ionian Sea. This coastal area supports important fisheries and migratory bird habitats. The secondary treatment provided helps reduce organic pollution and nutrient loads, protecting the sensitive marine environment from eutrophication and maintaining water quality for downstream uses.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Montescaglioso, in the province of Matera, Basilicata region, southern Italy. Its address is Strada Provinciale Montescaglioso Ginosa, Santa Lucia, Montescaglioso.
The plant serves approximately 4,000 residents of Montescaglioso and surrounding areas.
The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that flow into the Bradano River, which ultimately reaches the Ionian Sea near the Gulf of Taranto.
Under the EU UWWTD (91/271/EEC), agglomerations with a population equivalent above 2,000 must provide secondary treatment. This plant meets that requirement with its secondary treatment process.
In Italy, plants serving populations between 2,000 and 10,000 typically employ secondary biological treatment, often with activated sludge or similar processes, to comply with national and EU standards.
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