Wierchomla Wastewater Treatment Plant, Wierchomla Wielka, Poland

The Wierchomla wastewater treatment plant is located in Wierchomla Wielka, a village in the Małopolskie Voivodeship of southern Poland. It serves a small population of 141 residents, reflecting its role in a rural, mountainous area near the Poprad River valley. The plant is part of the municipal infrastructure managed by the local gmina of Piwniczna-Zdrój. The facility provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment stage required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations with a population equivalent below 2,000. Although the plant's designed capacity of 4,200 m³/day suggests it can handle larger flows, the current discharge volume is 20.10 m³/day, indicating low utilization. Secondary treatment typically involves biological oxidation and sedimentation. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the Poprad River, a tributary of the Dunajec River, which flows into the Vistula River and then to the Baltic Sea. The plant's operation helps protect the sensitive Carpathian ecosystem, supporting water quality in the region's rivers and downstream environments.

The plant discharges into a local stream that feeds the Poprad River, a major tributary of the Dunajec River in the Carpathian basin. The Poprad River flows through the picturesque Poprad Landscape Park, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as an important corridor for migratory fish. The treated effluent contributes to maintaining water quality in this ecologically sensitive region, which ultimately drains into the Vistula River and the Baltic Sea.