Swierzawa Wastewater Treatment Plant, Świerzawa, Poland

Swierzawa wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Świerzawa, within the powiat złotoryjski of województwo dolnośląskie, Poland. The facility serves a population of approximately 7,637 residents, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under Polish and EU regulations. As a plant in an EU member state, Swierzawa operates under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For agglomerations of this size, the directive requires secondary treatment as a minimum, with more stringent requirements if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas. The plant's treatment process and capacity details are not publicly available, but it is expected to comply with national implementation of the directive. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Oder River basin, which flows northward to the Baltic Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's surface waters from nutrient pollution and organic load, supporting aquatic life and downstream water quality.

The plant discharges into the local catchment of the Kaczawa River, a tributary of the Oder River. The Oder flows through western Poland and empties into the Szczecin Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. This watershed supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and is important for migratory fish species. The region's agricultural land use means nutrient removal is critical to prevent eutrophication in downstream waters.