Serrastretta Cancello Wastewater Treatment Plant, Calabria, Italy

Serrastretta Cancello is a wastewater treatment plant located in the Cancello area of Serrastretta, in the Calabria region of southern Italy. The plant serves a small community of approximately 1,077 residents, reflecting its role in managing municipal wastewater for this inland town. 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 1,000 cubic meters per day and a daily discharge volume of 213.21 cubic meters, the plant operates well within its capacity, ensuring effective treatment. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Tyrrhenian Sea via the Amato River basin. The advanced treatment level helps protect downstream aquatic ecosystems and supports the ecological health of the region's waterways.

The plant discharges into small streams that flow into the Amato River, which ultimately reaches the Tyrrhenian Sea. The surrounding Calabrian watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is ecologically sensitive due to its Mediterranean climate and mountainous terrain. Advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading and protects downstream habitats.