Sandonaci Wastewater Treatment Plant, San Donaci, Puglia, Italy

The Sandonaci wastewater treatment plant is located in San Donaci, a town in the province of Brindisi, Puglia, Italy. It serves a population of approximately 8,409 residents, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under Italian and EU regulations. The plant is situated inland, more than 10 km from the coast, and operates within the Adriatic Sea drainage basin. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size discharging into freshwater or estuaries. The designed capacity is 7,700 cubic meters per day, and the current discharge volume is 815.00 cubic meters per day, indicating ample capacity for current loads. As an Italian facility, it operates under the national implementation of the directive, overseen by regional environmental agencies. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually flow into the Adriatic Sea. The surrounding region of Puglia is characterized by Mediterranean climate and agricultural land use. The plant plays a key role in protecting local water quality and the downstream marine environment from nutrient pollution and pathogens.

The plant discharges into inland water bodies that drain into the Adriatic Sea, a semi-enclosed sea with limited water exchange, making it sensitive to nutrient inputs. The surrounding watershed supports agricultural activities, and the plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic load and suspended solids, protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems and coastal waters from eutrophication risks.