PIEVEPELAGO Wastewater Treatment Plant, San Michele, Emilia-Romagna

PIEVEPELAGO is a wastewater treatment plant located in San Michele, a frazione of Pievepelago, within the Unione dei comuni del Frignano in the province of Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The plant serves a population of about 2,304 residents, typical of a small mountain community in the Apennines. As a small agglomeration in Italy, the plant is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires appropriate treatment (secondary or equivalent) for discharges into freshwater. Italian regulations mandate that plants serving over 2,000 population equivalent must meet secondary treatment standards. The plant discharges into local watercourses that feed into the Scoltenna River, a tributary of the Panaro River, which eventually flows into the Po River and the Adriatic Sea. The surrounding area is part of the Northern Apennines, characterized by mountainous terrain and sensitive aquatic ecosystems.

The plant's treated effluent enters the Scoltenna River, which flows through the Frignano region before joining the Panaro River. The Panaro is a right-bank tributary of the Po River, which discharges into the Adriatic Sea. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as trout and chub, and is an important corridor for migratory birds. The mountainous terrain means streams are relatively fast-flowing and sensitive to nutrient enrichment.