Portigliola Sant'Ilario dello Jonio Loc Saragona Marina Wastewater Treatment Plant, Careri, Calabria

Portigliola Sant'Ilario dello Jonio Loc Saragona Marina is a wastewater treatment plant located in the Natile Vecchio area of Careri, in the Reggio Calabria province of Calabria, Italy. The facility serves a population of 1,500 and has a designed capacity of 2,000 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 296.95 cubic meters per day. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations of this size (1,500 population equivalent) are required to have appropriate treatment, typically secondary treatment, which this plant provides. The plant's discharge volume indicates it operates well below its designed capacity. The plant is located within 10 kilometers of the coast, discharging treated wastewater into the Ionian Sea. The local watershed includes small coastal streams that drain the Aspromonte mountain range. The Ionian Sea in this region supports diverse marine life and is important for local fisheries and tourism. The plant's operation helps protect coastal water quality and the ecological health of the marine environment.

The plant discharges treated wastewater into the Ionian Sea via local coastal streams. The Ionian Sea is a deep basin connected to the Mediterranean, supporting diverse marine ecosystems including seagrass meadows and fish nurseries. The Calabrian coast is ecologically sensitive due to its biodiversity and tourism value. Proper treatment is essential to prevent nutrient enrichment and protect water quality in this coastal environment.