Juodkrantes aglomeracija Wastewater Treatment Plant, Neringa, Lithuania

Juodkrantes aglomeracija is a wastewater treatment plant located in Neringa, Klaipėda County, Lithuania, serving the Juodkrantė settlement. The plant treats wastewater from a population of 1,300 and has a designed capacity of 3,000 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 338.56 m³/day. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The directive mandates secondary treatment for populations between 2,000 and 10,000 in sensitive areas, and Lithuania applies this standard to all discharges to the Baltic Sea basin. The treated effluent is discharged into the Curonian Lagoon, a shallow, brackish water body connected to the Baltic Sea. The lagoon is an ecologically sensitive area supporting diverse aquatic life and migratory birds. The plant's coastal location (within 10 km of the coast) means its discharge directly influences the lagoon's water quality and the broader Baltic Sea ecosystem.

The plant discharges into the Curonian Lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage site (Curonian Spit) that is a critical habitat for waterfowl and fish. The lagoon drains into the Baltic Sea via the Klaipėda Strait. The area is ecologically sensitive due to its shallow waters and high nutrient retention, making nutrient removal important for preventing eutrophication.