COV Hnusta Wastewater Treatment Plant, Hnúšťa, Slovakia

COV Hnusta is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Hnúšťa, a town in the Banskobystrický kraj region of central Slovakia. The plant serves a population of 2,740, placing it in the small agglomeration category under EU classification. The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 8,140 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 560.75 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Rimava River, a tributary of the Slaná River, which flows into the Tisza River and then the Danube River before reaching the Black Sea. This connection to the Danube basin highlights the plant's role in protecting downstream ecosystems, including the Danube Delta, a region of high ecological importance.

The plant discharges into the Rimava River basin, which flows into the Slaná River, a tributary of the Tisza River. The Tisza joins the Danube, which empties into the Black Sea. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important corridor for migratory fish. The advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting downstream water quality in the Danube Delta ecosystem.