PALIZZI_JO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bianco, Calabria, Italy

PALIZZI_JO is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Bianco, a town in the province of Reggio Calabria, Calabria, Italy. The plant serves a population of 3,450 and has a designed capacity of 5,000 m³/day, currently discharging approximately 683 m³/day of treated wastewater. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations with a population equivalent between 2,000 and 10,000. This treatment level typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The treated effluent is discharged into the Ionian Sea, as the plant is located within 10 km of the coast. The receiving waters are part of the wider Mediterranean Sea ecosystem, which supports diverse marine life and is important for regional tourism and fisheries. The plant's operation helps protect coastal water quality and marine habitats.

The plant discharges into the Ionian Sea, a deep basin of the Mediterranean Sea that connects to the Adriatic Sea via the Strait of Otranto. The coastal waters off Bianco support diverse marine ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and rocky reef habitats that are important for fish spawning and nursery grounds. Effective wastewater treatment is essential to prevent nutrient enrichment and protect these sensitive marine environments.