RENDE_MENDICINO_LOC_STILLUZZO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Dipignano, Calabria

RENDE_MENDICINO_LOC_STILLUZZO is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in the Petrone area of Dipignano, in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,000 people, making it a small agglomeration under EU classification. It is situated inland, more than 10 km from the coast, and treats wastewater for the local community. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day and a current discharge volume of about 396 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well within its capacity. The plant is part of Italy's national wastewater infrastructure, regulated under the directive's provisions for sensitive areas. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Tyrrhenian Sea via the Crati River basin. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the region's rivers and coastal waters, supporting aquatic life and downstream ecosystems in Calabria.

The plant discharges into the Crati River basin, which flows into the Gulf of Taranto in the Ionian Sea. This watershed supports diverse aquatic habitats and is important for local biodiversity. The advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loads, protecting downstream water quality and preventing eutrophication in coastal areas.