Piszczac Wastewater Treatment Plant: Serving Piszczac, Poland

The Piszczac wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Piszczac, in the bialski powiat of województwo lubelskie, eastern Poland. It serves a population of approximately 1,060 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Polish and EU regulations. The plant provides 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 designed capacity is 3,600 m³/day, and the current discharge volume is 151.14 m³/day, indicating ample reserve capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Bug River, a major tributary of the Narew River, which flows into the Vistula River and ultimately to the Baltic Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local watershed from untreated sewage, supporting aquatic life and downstream water quality.

The plant discharges into small streams that feed the Bug River, which forms part of the border between Poland and Belarus. The Bug River is an ecologically important waterway, supporting diverse aquatic habitats and serving as a migratory corridor for fish. The downstream Narew and Vistula rivers flow into the Baltic Sea, making nutrient removal critical to prevent eutrophication in the Baltic. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollution and nutrient loads, contributing to the health of this transboundary river system.