Łochów Wastewater Treatment Plant: Advanced Treatment in Mazowieckie, Poland

The Łochów wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Łochów, in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship of Poland. It serves a population of 1,126, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Polish and EU regulations. The plant is situated in an inland area, far from the coast, and treats municipal wastewater from the local community. The facility employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 11,500 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 160.55 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variability. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body, which ultimately drains into the Bug River basin, part of the Vistula River catchment that flows into the Baltic Sea. The advanced treatment ensures high-quality effluent, protecting the local aquatic environment and downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into a local watercourse that feeds into the Bug River, a tributary of the Vistula River. The Vistula flows northward into the Baltic Sea, making this plant part of a large transboundary watershed. The advanced treatment level helps protect sensitive downstream habitats, including wetlands and spawning grounds for fish, by reducing nutrient loads and pollutants.