MOTTAFOLLONE_IERISI Wastewater Treatment Plant, San Demetrio Corone, Calabria

MOTTAFOLLONE_IERISI is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in San Demetrio Corone, in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, Italy. The plant serves a population of 2,100 and has a designed capacity of 2,000 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 415.73 m³/day. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. As an Italian facility, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires advanced treatment for discharges into sensitive areas. The plant's scale corresponds to a small agglomeration, for which secondary treatment is the minimum standard, but advanced treatment indicates a higher level of environmental protection. The treated effluent is discharged into a receiving water body near the coast, as the plant is within 10 km of the Ionian Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local watershed and downstream marine environment, supporting water quality in the region's coastal ecosystems.

The plant discharges into a water body that ultimately flows into the Ionian Sea, a part of the Mediterranean Sea. The local watershed includes the Crati River basin and other smaller coastal streams. The area supports diverse aquatic life and is important for migratory species. The advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting the coastal marine environment from eutrophication and maintaining ecological balance.