CHYzNE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Chyżne, Lesser Poland Voivodeship

CHYzNE is a wastewater treatment plant located in Chyżne, a village in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (województwo małopolskie) of southern Poland. The plant serves a population of 1,065, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Polish and EU regulations. It operates secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. The plant has a designed capacity of 2,000 m³/day and currently discharges an average of 151.85 m³/day of treated wastewater. As a secondary treatment facility, it removes organic matter and suspended solids, meeting the effluent standards set by Polish law and the EU directive. It is assumed to be in operation given the discharge volume. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse, which ultimately flows into the Vistula River basin, the largest river system in Poland. The Vistula drains into the Baltic Sea, making the plant's performance important for downstream water quality. The surrounding region is mountainous and sparsely populated, with the plant playing a key role in protecting local streams and the broader aquatic environment.

The plant discharges into a small stream in the Orawa River catchment, which flows into the Vistula River basin and eventually reaches the Baltic Sea. The area is part of the Carpathian mountain region, characterized by sensitive aquatic ecosystems that support diverse fish and invertebrate populations. Proper treatment is essential to prevent nutrient enrichment and protect downstream habitats.