Overview
Kuressaare reoveepuhasti is the municipal wastewater treatment plant serving Kuressaare, Estonia. Located on Saaremaa Island, it treats wastewater from approximately 28,370 residents.
Kuressaare reoveepuhasti is the municipal wastewater treatment plant serving the town of Kuressaare on Saaremaa Island, Estonia. The plant serves a population of approximately 28,370, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under Estonian regulations. As part of Estonia's compliance with the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), plants of this scale are required to provide secondary treatment as a minimum, with tertiary treatment in sensitive areas. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in thousands of cubic meters per day), and it operates under Estonia's national water management framework, which implements EU standards. The regulatory context ensures that the plant meets the required treatment levels for its population equivalent. The treated effluent is discharged into the local environment on Saaremaa Island, which drains into the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is a sensitive brackish water body with limited water exchange, making nutrient removal important for preventing eutrophication. The plant's location within 50 km of the coast underscores its role in protecting the coastal and marine ecosystem of the Baltic Sea.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the local watershed on Saaremaa Island, which ultimately drains into the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed brackish sea with limited water exchange, making it highly sensitive to nutrient pollution. The surrounding area supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for birds. Effective wastewater treatment is critical to prevent eutrophication and maintain the ecological health of the coastal waters.
Frequently asked questions
Kuressaare reoveepuhasti is located at 5 Kullimäe tee, Kuressaare linn, Saaremaa vald, Saare maakond, Estonia. It serves the town of Kuressaare on Saaremaa Island.
The plant serves approximately 28,370 residents, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU and Estonian wastewater regulations.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed on Saaremaa Island, which ultimately flows into the Baltic Sea. The plant's location within 50 km of the coast means its discharge affects the sensitive Baltic marine environment.
As an Estonian plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. Estonia's national water legislation implements these standards.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, plants serving between 10,000 and 100,000 population equivalent are required to provide secondary treatment. In sensitive areas like the Baltic Sea basin, tertiary treatment for nutrient removal may also be required.
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