San Demetrio Corone Ortogrande Wastewater Treatment Plant - Terranova da Sibari, Calabria

San Demetrio Corone Ortogrande is a wastewater treatment plant located in Terranova da Sibari, within the municipality of Corigliano-Rossano in the Calabria region of southern Italy. The plant serves a small population of 640 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or peri-urban setting. Its location near the Ionian Sea coast places it in a sensitive coastal environment. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 800 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 126.70 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal, which is crucial for protecting coastal waters from eutrophication. The treated effluent is discharged into the local drainage network that flows into the Ionian Sea, a semi-enclosed basin of the Mediterranean Sea. The Ionian Sea supports diverse marine life and is an important area for fisheries and tourism. The plant's advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient and pollutant loads, safeguarding the coastal ecosystem and complying with Italy's implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive.

The plant discharges into the Ionian Sea, a semi-enclosed Mediterranean basin that receives runoff from the Calabrian Apennines. The coastal zone supports seagrass meadows and nursery habitats for fish species. Advanced treatment reduces nutrient inputs, helping to prevent eutrophication and algal blooms in this ecologically sensitive marine environment.