Pisticci Centro Agricolo Wastewater Treatment Plant, Pisticci, Basilicata, Italy

Pisticci Centro Agricolo is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the Marconia district of Pisticci, in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. The plant serves a small population of 200 residents and is situated near the Ionian Sea coast, within 10 km of the shoreline. The plant provides 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. The plant has a designed capacity of 300 cubic meters per day and currently discharges an average volume of 39.59 cubic meters per day, indicating it operates well below its design capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into the local drainage network that ultimately flows into the Ionian Sea. The coastal environment supports diverse marine life and is an important area for fisheries and tourism in the Basilicata region. The plant's proximity to the coast necessitates careful management of nutrient discharges to protect marine water quality.

The plant discharges into the Ionian Sea coastal zone, which is part of the Gulf of Taranto. This area supports seagrass meadows and diverse marine species, including commercial fish stocks. The coastal waters are influenced by agricultural runoff from the Basilicata hinterland, making nutrient management critical for preventing eutrophication in the semi-enclosed Ionian Sea.