RIVELLO_ROTALE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Rotale, Basilicata, Italy

RIVELLO_ROTALE is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Rotale, a frazione of Rivello in the province of Potenza, Basilicata, southern Italy. The plant serves a small population of 180 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community within the mountainous region of the Pollino National Park area. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment stage that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 200 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 35.63 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), small agglomerations like this are required to have appropriate treatment, and secondary treatment meets the directive's standards for inland freshwater discharges. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Tyrrhenian Sea via the Noce River or the Sinni River basin. The area is ecologically sensitive due to its proximity to the Pollino National Park, a biodiversity hotspot supporting diverse aquatic life and important migratory corridors. The plant's operation helps protect downstream water quality in this ecologically valuable region.

The plant discharges into small streams that flow into the Noce River or Sinni River, both of which drain into the Gulf of Policastro on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The local watershed is part of the Basilicata region's Apennine landscape, characterized by steep terrain and Mediterranean climate. Downstream ecosystems include riparian habitats that support diverse aquatic species, including endemic fish and amphibians. The area is ecologically sensitive due to its proximity to the Pollino National Park, one of Italy's largest protected areas, which hosts rare flora and fauna.