MORENA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Reana del Rojale, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

MORENA is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Reana del Rojale, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy. The plant serves a small population of 1,125 people, reflecting its role in a rural or small-town setting within the municipality of Udine. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 7,000 cubic meters per day and an actual discharge volume of 872.09 cubic meters per day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. As an Italian facility, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates appropriate treatment levels based on population equivalents and receiving water sensitivity. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Adriatic Sea via the Isonzo or Tagliamento river systems. The region is known for its karst topography and groundwater resources, making advanced treatment important for protecting both surface waters and aquifers. The plant contributes to maintaining water quality in the Po River basin and the northern Adriatic ecosystem.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow toward the Adriatic Sea, likely via the Tagliamento River, one of the last morphologically intact rivers in the Alps. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species, and the region's karst aquifers are sensitive to contamination. Advanced treatment helps protect these ecosystems from nutrient enrichment and pollutants.