COV Zirovnice Wastewater Treatment Plant, Žirovnice, Czech Republic

COV Zirovnice is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Žirovnice, a town in the Kraj Vysočina region of the Czech Republic. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,960 people, placing it within the small agglomeration category under EU regulations. As a plant in the Czech Republic, COV Zirovnice operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The directive also mandates appropriate treatment before discharge into inland waters to protect the environment. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that flows into the Žirovnice River, a tributary of the Nežárka River, which ultimately drains into the Lužnice River and then the Vltava River, part of the Elbe River basin. This system supports diverse aquatic life and contributes to the overall health of the North Sea ecosystem.

The plant discharges into a local stream that feeds the Žirovnice River, a tributary of the Nežárka River. The Nežárka joins the Lužnice River, which flows into the Vltava River, a major tributary of the Elbe River. The Elbe drains into the North Sea. The watershed supports diverse aquatic habitats and is important for regional biodiversity, including fish species such as brown trout and grayling.