COV Hranice Wastewater Treatment Plant, Hranice, Czech Republic

COV Hranice is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Hranice, a town in the Karlovarský kraj region of the Czech Republic. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,292 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU standards. It is situated near the border with Germany, in the western part of the country. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. The designed capacity is 2,057 m³/day, and the current discharge volume is 643.20 m³/day, indicating operational headroom. As a Czech facility, it operates under national regulations transposing the EU directive, with oversight from the relevant water authority. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Ohře River basin, eventually reaching the Elbe River and the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the region's streams and rivers, supporting aquatic ecosystems and downstream water uses.

The plant discharges into the Ohře River basin, a tributary of the Elbe River, which flows through Germany to the North Sea. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as trout and grayling, and is an important corridor for migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads, protecting downstream water quality in the Elbe estuary.