COV Horni Planá Wastewater Treatment Plant, Horní Planá, Czech Republic

COV Horni Planá is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Horní Planá, a town in the Jihočeský kraj region of the Czech Republic. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,283 people, placing it in the small agglomeration category under EU classification. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The designed capacity of 6,600 m³/day allows for adequate treatment of current flows, with a reported discharge volume of 840.12 m³/day indicating operational headroom. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Vltava River basin and then into the Elbe River, flowing to the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Vltava River and downstream ecosystems, including the Elbe estuary.

The plant discharges into the Vltava River basin, a major tributary of the Elbe River, which flows through Germany to the North Sea. The Vltava supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish species. The region's water quality is sensitive to nutrient inputs, and secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollution and eutrophication risks in downstream waters.