Even in the mountains, where we naturally associate water with purity, the most pressing issues that water service managers need to solve concern untreated wastewater, the lack of sewerage systems, or the modernisation of existing treatment plants. In the latter case, it is desirable to implement nature-based solutions. In this issue, Renewable Matter will take you to an altitude of 1,000 metres above sea level to explore the new phytoremediation facility constructed by Acque Bresciane in Malonno, a village nestled in the upper Camonica Valley, in the heart of the Bergamasque Alps.

Acque Bresciane, the company entrusted with the integrated water management system in the Province of Brescia until 2045, is experiencing rapid expansion. Operational since April 2017 in 55 municipalities, the utility now has an ambitious target: to manage all 205 municipalities in the province, guaranteeing efficiency and water system innovation without, however, leaving internal and rural areas behind.

The benefits of phytoremediation

Phytoremediation harnesses the natural self-depurative ability of wet environments to transform domestic and agri-industrial wastewater into clean resources. This process takes place thanks to the collaboration between bacteria, plants, and the soil, which work together to filter and degrade the organic compounds in wastewater, transforming them into bioavailable nutrients for the plants in the system. However, to maximise the effectiveness of phytoremediation, wastewater must undergo primary treatments before entering the system, thus guaranteeing optimal pre-processing that prepares the water for the subsequent natural intervention.

“This method has many benefits, from good treatment yields to limited energy consumption, from simple management to greater landscape and environmental integration via the active involvement of ecosystems and their functions. Acque Bresciane is firmly committed to a path of redevelopment and creation of new facilities through nature-based solutions that are perfectly integrated into existing contexts,” explains Sabrina Colli, Manager of the Unified Design Area for the Brescia-based utility.