Druskininku aglomeracija Wastewater Treatment Plant, Neravai, Lithuania

Druskininku aglomeracija is a wastewater treatment plant located in Neravai, within the Druskininkai municipality of Alytus County, Lithuania. The plant serves a population of approximately 16,800 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU classification. It is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and plays a key role in managing municipal wastewater in the region. As a facility operating within the European Union, Druskininku aglomeracija is subject to the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For agglomerations of this scale (between 10,000 and 100,000 population equivalent), the directive requires at least secondary treatment, with more stringent requirements if the discharge enters a sensitive area. The plant's treatment processes and capacity details are not publicly available, but compliance with EU standards ensures appropriate treatment levels for the local population. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Nemunas River basin. The Nemunas River flows through Lithuania and into the Curonian Lagoon, a ecologically sensitive coastal lagoon connected to the Baltic Sea. The plant's operations help protect downstream water quality and support the ecological health of the Nemunas basin and the Curonian Lagoon ecosystem.

The plant discharges into the Nemunas River basin, which flows through southern Lithuania and into the Curonian Lagoon, a shallow, brackish lagoon that supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The lagoon connects to the Baltic Sea. Protecting water quality in this watershed is critical for maintaining the ecological balance of the lagoon and the downstream marine environment.