Jiangsu Wastewater Treatment Plant, Gaochun District, Nanjing

The Jiangsu wastewater treatment plant is located in Yangjiang Town, Gaochun District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. It serves a population of approximately 132,000, classifying it as a medium-to-large agglomeration under Chinese wastewater management frameworks. The plant is part of the municipal infrastructure for the Gaochun area, which lies in the lower Yangtze River basin. As a facility serving over 100,000 people, the plant is expected to meet China's Discharge Standard of Pollutants for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants (GB 18918-2002), which mandates secondary treatment with nutrient removal for plants of this scale. The treated effluent from the plant discharges into local waterways that ultimately flow into the Yangtze River, one of China's major river systems. The Yangtze River supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and provides water for millions of people downstream. The plant's operation is critical for maintaining water quality in the region, reducing nutrient and pollutant loads that could otherwise impact the river's ecological health and downstream communities.

The plant discharges into local tributaries that feed into the Yangtze River, which flows eastward into the East China Sea near Shanghai. The Yangtze River basin is ecologically significant, supporting a wide range of aquatic species including the endangered Yangtze finless porpoise. The plant's nutrient removal helps mitigate eutrophication risks in downstream lakes and coastal waters, particularly in the Yangtze River estuary, which is a critical habitat for migratory fish and birds.