Overview
San Cesario di Lecce wastewater treatment plant serves Lequile, Puglia, Italy, with a designed capacity of 1.00 and a population of 34,977. It operates under Italy's implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The San Cesario di Lecce wastewater treatment plant is located in Lequile, in the province of Lecce, Puglia, Italy. It serves a population of approximately 34,977, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) between 10,000 and 150,000 are generally required to provide secondary treatment. Italy has transposed this directive into national law, and plants of this scale are subject to regular monitoring and permitting by regional environmental authorities. The plant's operational status and treatment level are consistent with standard practices for facilities of this size in the region. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Ionian Sea, part of the broader Mediterranean basin. The surrounding area is characterized by agricultural land and small urban settlements. The plant plays a key role in protecting local groundwater and surface water quality, which is important for both ecological health and human use in this water-scarce region of southern Italy.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local streams that flow toward the Ionian Sea, a semi-enclosed basin with limited water exchange. The region's karst geology makes groundwater particularly vulnerable to contamination. Protecting the receiving waters helps preserve coastal ecosystems and supports tourism and agriculture in the Salento peninsula.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located on Strada Vicinale Campograsso in Lequile, in the province of Lecce, Puglia, Italy.
The plant serves a population of 34,977, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations.
Treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Ionian Sea, part of the Mediterranean basin.
As an agglomeration serving over 10,000 people, the plant is required to provide secondary treatment under Directive 91/271/EEC, which Italy has implemented through national legislation.
Plants of this scale in Italy typically employ secondary biological treatment, such as activated sludge, to meet EU standards for organic matter and suspended solids removal.
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