PAVULLO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Pavullo nel Frignano, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

The PAVULLO wastewater treatment plant is located in Pavullo nel Frignano, a town in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. The facility serves a population of about 13,729 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations. It is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and its operations are subject to Italian and European environmental standards. As a plant serving a population between 10,000 and 150,000, the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) requires it to provide secondary treatment as a minimum. The regulatory framework ensures that the plant meets appropriate standards for its scale. Italian authorities enforce compliance through national legislation transposing the directive. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Po River basin, which flows into the Adriatic Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's water quality, supporting aquatic ecosystems, and preventing pollution in downstream environments.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Po River basin, one of Italy's most important watersheds. The Po River flows eastward into the Adriatic Sea, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing water for agriculture and industry. The Emilia-Romagna region is known for its intensive farming, making effective wastewater treatment critical to prevent nutrient pollution and eutrophication in downstream waters.