Sant'Arsenio Impianto Localita Fornace Wastewater Treatment Plant, Campania, Italy

Sant'Arsenio Impianto Localita Fornace is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Sant'Arsenio, a town in the Campania region of southern Italy. The plant serves a population of 2,550 and operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The facility has a designed capacity of 5,000 m³/day and currently discharges approximately 504.81 m³/day of treated wastewater. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting the effluent quality standards set by Italian regulations implementing the EU directive. For small agglomerations like this, secondary treatment is typically sufficient to protect receiving water quality. The plant's capacity utilization appears low relative to its design, suggesting it may be oversized for current loads or that the design accounts for future growth. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Tyrrhenian Sea via the Sele River basin. The region's water bodies support diverse aquatic life and are important for agriculture and tourism. Proper treatment helps maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive area of the Cilento coast.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Sele River, which empties into the Tyrrhenian Sea near Paestum. This coastal area is part of the Cilento and Vallo di Diano Geopark, known for its biodiversity and marine habitats. Secondary treatment reduces organic pollution and protects downstream ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and fish spawning grounds.