Stara Kiszewa Wastewater Treatment Plant | Secondary Treatment in Pomerania, Poland

The Stara Kiszewa wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Stara Kiszewa, in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of northern Poland. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,564 residents, making it a small-scale municipal facility. It is situated in a rural area near the Wierzyca River, which flows into the Vistula River and eventually the Baltic Sea. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations with a population equivalent of less than 10,000. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 3,600 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 223 cubic meters per day, indicating it operates well below its capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Wierzyca River, a tributary of the Vistula. The Vistula is Poland's longest river and flows into the Baltic Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of these water bodies, supporting aquatic life and downstream ecosystems. Its operation helps maintain the ecological balance of the region's rivers and the Baltic Sea coastal environment.

The plant discharges into the Wierzyca River basin, which is part of the larger Vistula River watershed. The Vistula flows northward into the Baltic Sea, a semi-enclosed sea with sensitive marine ecosystems. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants, helping to prevent eutrophication in the Baltic, which is a major environmental concern due to nutrient loading from agriculture and wastewater.