PAGLIERINI Wastewater Treatment Plant, Mozzagrogna, Italy

PAGLIERINI is a wastewater treatment plant located in Mozzagrogna, a town in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo region, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,700 residents and operates with 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. With a designed capacity of 1,100 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 534.5 m³/day, the plant operates well within its capacity. As an Italian facility, it falls under the national implementation of the EU UWWTD, which mandates secondary treatment for inland discharges and more stringent tertiary treatment if the receiving water is sensitive. The plant is located within 10 km of the Adriatic Sea coast, making its discharge potentially influential on coastal water quality. The treated effluent likely flows into local streams or the Sangro River basin, eventually reaching the Adriatic Sea, a semi-enclosed sea with important marine ecosystems and tourism-dependent coastal zones.

The plant discharges into the Adriatic Sea watershed, likely via the Sangro River or smaller coastal streams. The Adriatic Sea is a semi-enclosed basin with limited water exchange, making it sensitive to nutrient inputs from wastewater. The coastal area supports diverse marine life and is important for fisheries and tourism. Secondary treatment reduces organic load but may not fully remove nutrients, so the plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) underscores the importance of proper operation to prevent eutrophication.