Chwaliszów Wastewater Treatment Plant, Lower Silesia, Poland

The Chwaliszów wastewater treatment plant is located in the village of Chwaliszów, within gmina Stare Bogaczowice, powiat wałbrzyski, in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship of Poland. This facility serves a small population of 613 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), Poland requires secondary treatment for agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) between 2,000 and 15,000 discharging into freshwater. Although Chwaliszów serves fewer than 2,000 people, it still meets secondary treatment standards, which is typical for smaller plants in the region to protect local water quality. The plant's designed capacity of 2186.00 m³/day indicates it can handle peak flows, while the actual discharge volume is 87.40 m³/day. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that eventually drains into the Oder River basin, which flows northward to the Baltic Sea. The plant plays a key role in safeguarding the region's surface waters from untreated sewage, supporting aquatic life and downstream ecosystems. Its operation contributes to Poland's compliance with EU water quality standards.

The plant discharges into a small stream within the Oder River basin. The Oder flows through western Poland and forms part of the border with Germany before emptying into the Baltic Sea via the Szczecin Lagoon. The watershed supports diverse aquatic habitats and is important for migratory fish species. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads that could otherwise contribute to eutrophication in the Baltic Sea.