COV Zborov Wastewater Treatment Plant, Zborov, Prešovský kraj

COV Zborov is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Zborov, a village in the Bardejov District of Prešovský kraj, northeastern Slovakia. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,800 residents, reflecting a small agglomeration typical of rural settlements in the region. Its designed capacity of 3,000 m³/day indicates headroom for future growth or seasonal fluctuations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) between 2,000 and 10,000. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, ensuring compliance with EU effluent quality standards. The plant's discharge volume of 368.38 m³/day suggests a moderate hydraulic load relative to its capacity. The treated effluent from COV Zborov is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Topľa River, a tributary of the Ondava River, which flows into the Bodrog River and then the Tisza River, part of the Danube basin. This inland location, over 50 km from the coast, means the plant's discharge affects freshwater ecosystems rather than marine environments. The surrounding area is characterized by forested hills and agricultural land, with the plant playing a key role in protecting local streams from untreated wastewater.

The plant discharges into the Topľa River basin, which flows through the Ondava and Bodrog rivers into the Tisza River, a major tributary of the Danube. This inland watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as barbel and chub, and provides habitat for amphibians and invertebrates. The secondary treatment process helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing eutrophication in downstream water bodies.