COV Strbske Pleso Wastewater Treatment Plant, Štrba, Prešovský kraj

COV Strbske Pleso is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Štrba, within the Prešovský kraj region of Slovakia. The facility serves a population of 2,148 and is situated near the High Tatras, a mountainous area with significant tourism. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level for small agglomerations under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The plant has a designed capacity of 8,500 m³/day, with an actual discharge volume of 439.60 m³/day, indicating ample reserve capacity. As a secondary treatment facility, it removes organic matter and suspended solids, meeting EU requirements for inland discharges. The plant operates under Slovak national regulations that transpose the EU directive, ensuring compliance with effluent standards. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Poprad River basin, eventually reaching the Baltic Sea via the Vistula River. The surrounding environment includes sensitive alpine ecosystems and the Tatra National Park, making proper wastewater treatment critical for protecting biodiversity and water quality in this ecologically significant region.

The plant discharges into streams feeding the Poprad River, which flows north into Poland and joins the Dunajec River, a tributary of the Vistula. The Vistula ultimately reaches the Baltic Sea. The High Tatras region supports diverse aquatic life, including endemic fish species and macroinvertebrates sensitive to pollution. Protecting this watershed is vital for maintaining the ecological integrity of the Tatra National Park and downstream habitats.