Modeling of Po River Water Quality in Torino (Italy)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the Po river quality in a small stretch between two stations in Piedmont in the north of Italy. In this stretch a large pollution load is introduced and diluted in the fluent water of the river. The load has been quantified and about it we performed mass balances and modeling in order to understand the entity, the origin and the final fate of the immitted pollutants. In particular the objective of the work is to highlight the entity and the impact of Torino metropolitan area discharge on the quality of the same river. The obtained results show in particular, as well as the great impact of the Torino metropolitan area (the calculated pollution from Torino to the station downstream increases, for example for the COD of the 38%), the large contribute to the pollution from the Po river affluents (the pollution, for the COD, from Torino to the station downstream increases, considering the affluents too, of the 49%). The other fundamental point of investigation is the analysis of the impact produced by the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant (SMAT, Societa Metropolitana Acque Torino) on the quality of the water. The obtained results show that the SMAT Plant determines the environmental state of the Po river in the station downstream of the same treatment plant. At the end we have evaluated the general pollution state in order to highlight which interventions are necessary in order to respect what is prescribed from the Italian laws.