Passow Wastewater Treatment Plant, Schwedt/Oder, Brandenburg, Germany

The Passow wastewater treatment plant is located in the Passow district of Schwedt/Oder, in the Uckermark region of Brandenburg, Germany. It serves a population of approximately 2,818 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The plant is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and its operations are part of the regional wastewater infrastructure managed by local authorities. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU UWWTD for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 3,100 m³/day and an annual discharge volume of 191.78 thousand m³, the facility operates well within its capacity. The advanced treatment level ensures high-quality effluent, reducing nutrient loads and protecting receiving waters. The treated effluent from Passow is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Oder River basin. The Oder River flows northward to the Baltic Sea, passing through ecologically sensitive areas such as the Lower Oder Valley National Park. The plant's advanced treatment helps safeguard water quality in this transboundary river system, supporting aquatic biodiversity and downstream ecosystems.

The Passow plant discharges into the Oder River basin, which flows into the Baltic Sea via the Szczecin Lagoon. This region supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species, and is part of an important ecological corridor. The advanced treatment reduces nutrient pollution, mitigating eutrophication risks in the Baltic Sea, a water body sensitive to nitrogen and phosphorus inputs.