Lipiany Wastewater Treatment Plant | Secondary Treatment for Lipiany, Poland

The Lipiany wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Lipiany, within the zachodniopomorskie province of northwestern Poland. It serves a population of approximately 2,770 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Polish and EU regulations. The plant is situated inland, away from the Baltic coast. The facility provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 5,833 m³/day, with a reported discharge volume of 394.96 m³/day, indicating it operates well below its capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the Oder River basin, which flows into the Szczecin Lagoon and then the Baltic Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local watershed from nutrient pollution, supporting aquatic life and downstream water quality in the sensitive Baltic Sea region.

The Lipiany plant discharges into a local stream that is part of the Oder River basin. The Oder flows northward into the Szczecin Lagoon, a coastal lagoon shared with Germany, and then into the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed, brackish sea highly sensitive to eutrophication from nutrient inputs. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic and nutrient loads, contributing to the health of the downstream aquatic ecosystem and supporting biodiversity in the region.