HYDROCENTRUM Wastewater Treatment Plant, Brańsk, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland

HYDROCENTRUM is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Brańsk, a town in the Podlaskie Voivodeship of northeastern Poland. The facility serves a population of approximately 3,800 residents, reflecting the scale of a small agglomeration under Polish and EU classifications. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for inland discharges from agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 4,000 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 541.82 m³/day, the facility operates well below its hydraulic capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variability. The treated effluent is discharged into local surface waters that ultimately drain into the Bug River basin, a major tributary of the Narew River. This region is part of the Vistula River catchment, which flows into the Baltic Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local aquatic environment from nutrient pollution and organic loading.

The plant discharges into the Bug River basin, which flows through eastern Poland and eventually joins the Narew River, a major tributary of the Vistula. The Vistula drains into the Baltic Sea, making the plant's nutrient removal important for reducing eutrophication risks in the Baltic. The surrounding area includes ecologically sensitive wetlands and riverine habitats that support diverse aquatic life and migratory bird species.