Overview
Upilka ELA MAX 7 is a secondary wastewater treatment plant in Osusznica, Poland, serving 2,860 people. It has a designed capacity of 7,800 m³/day and discharges 407.79 m³/day.
Upilka ELA MAX 7 is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Osusznica, within the Pomeranian Voivodeship of northern Poland. The facility serves a population of approximately 2,860 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 inland freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 7,800 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 407.79 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variability. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Baltic Sea via the Vistula River basin. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's surface waters from nutrient pollution, supporting the ecological health of downstream rivers and the Baltic coastal environment.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Vistula River basin, which flows northward into the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed brackish sea highly sensitive to eutrophication from nitrogen and phosphorus loads. Secondary treatment reduces organic matter and suspended solids, but nutrient removal may be needed to meet Baltic Sea Action Plan targets. The surrounding Pomeranian region features numerous lakes and rivers that support diverse aquatic life and migratory fish species.
Frequently asked questions
Upilka ELA MAX 7 is located in Osusznica, a village in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of northern Poland, within the gmina of Lipnica.
The plant discharges treated effluent into local watercourses that are part of the Vistula River basin, ultimately flowing into the Baltic Sea.
The plant helps protect the Vistula River basin and its tributaries, as well as the downstream Baltic Sea, by treating wastewater to secondary standards before discharge.
As a plant serving 2,860 people, it falls under the EU UWWTD requirements for secondary treatment for inland discharges. The directive mandates secondary treatment for all agglomerations above 2,000 population equivalent.
In Poland, small agglomerations like this typically use mechanical-biological treatment (secondary treatment) as required by EU law. Some may also include phosphorus removal if discharging into sensitive areas.
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