Grodno Wastewater Treatment Rehabilitation

Grodno is located in western Belarus close to its border with Poland. The city's wastewater is discharged into the Neman river in the catchment area of the Baltic Sea. Due to inefficient treatment at the wastewater treatment plant, Grodno has been identified as an environmental hotspot by HELCOM.

Project Description

The main goal of the Priority Investment Programme (PIP) developed for Grodno is to improve the system of water and wastewater services and bring the level of wastewater treatment in compliance with HELCOM standards. The main features of the PIP are:

1. Construction of wastewater pumping station no. 12 together with pressure sewers and new gravity sewers,
2. reconstruction of inlet sewer collector and pressure sewer to wastewater treatment plant,
3. reconstruction and extension of wastewater treatment plant,
4. construction of new sludge disposal basins and
5. technical assistance component to support project implementation.

Environmental Benefits

Following implementation, two thirds of the treatment process will be operated fullfilling HELCOM recommendations. The remaining part will utilise the normal activated sludge process which can be enhanced with chemical phosphorus removal. Sludge from the treatment plant will be dewatered and taken to the new disposal sludge basins instead of being discharged to sludge lagoons near the river Neman.

The total phosphorus load reductions to the River Neman will be 51  t/a. This represents person equivalency (PE) of approximately 70,000. The total nitrogen load reduction will be 476 t/a representing approximately 108,700 PE.

Energy efficiency: The energy consumption will be reduced in aeration but due to enhanced nutrient removal and totally new sludge dewatering the overall energy consumption will slightly increase.

Updated November 2013