Szczyrzyc Wastewater Treatment Plant | Small Rural Facility in małopolskie, Poland

The Szczyrzyc wastewater treatment plant is located in the village of Szczyrzyc, gmina Jodłownik, powiat limanowski, in the małopolskie province of southern Poland. This facility serves a small population of 776 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. The plant is part of Poland's national wastewater infrastructure, which aligns with European Union environmental directives. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 2,231 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 110.65 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. As a small agglomeration, it meets the requirements of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for populations under 10,000 in non-sensitive areas. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Vistula River basin, which flows north to the Baltic Sea. The plant's operation helps protect the region's freshwater ecosystems and downstream aquatic habitats from untreated sewage pollution.

The plant discharges into small streams within the Raba River catchment, a tributary of the Vistula River. The Vistula flows through central Poland and empties into the Baltic Sea via the Gdańsk Bay. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agriculture and recreation. Proper treatment at this plant reduces nutrient loading and organic pollution, safeguarding downstream water quality and the ecological health of the Baltic Sea.