Santa Lucia Wastewater Treatment Plant, Cervaro, Lazio, Italy

The Santa Lucia wastewater treatment plant is located in Cervaro, a town in the province of Frosinone, Lazio, Italy. It serves a small population of 776 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or peri-urban setting. The plant is situated inland, more than 10 km from the coast, but within 50 km of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The plant operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variability. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain toward the Tyrrhenian Sea. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the sensitive aquatic ecosystems of the Lazio region, including downstream rivers and coastal waters, by reducing nutrient loads and pollutants.

The Santa Lucia plant discharges into local streams that feed into the Liri-Garigliano river system, which flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea. This coastal area supports diverse marine life and is important for regional fisheries. The advanced treatment level helps minimize eutrophication risks in the downstream waters, which are ecologically sensitive due to their proximity to the coast.