Funkcjonowanie oczyszczalni ścieków komunalnych w aspekcie nowej unijnej dyrektywy ściekowej. Cz. 1: Oczyszczanie ścieków

The article presents the key provisions of the new European Parliament directive on municipal wastewater treatment, outlining the directions in which wastewater treatment technologies will need to advance.In line with the principles of the circular economy, municipal wastewater should be regarded as a source for water recovery, raw materials, and energy, both from the wastewater itself and from waste generated during its treatment processes.The quality parameters of treated wastewater necessitate the adoption of increasingly effective technologies for the removal of carbon compounds and nutrients, employing both biological and chemical methods.The elimination of micropollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics, will require the introduction of an additional treatment stage within municipal wastewater treatment plant systems, incorporating specific processes such as oxidation, adsorption, or filtration.The efficiency of their removal depends primarily on the chemical structure of the pollutants and their resultant physicochemical properties.Another critical aspect of municipal treatment plant operation is energy self-sufficiency and the sustainable management of sewage sludge.In this regard, treatment plants must reduce the energy consumption of technological processes and prioritise the acquisition of energy from renewable sources, including the utilisation of sludge as biofuel.Sewage sludge should also be considered a source of valuable elements, with potential for resource recovery.In light of these considerations, municipal wastewater treatment plants are evolving into production facilities that use sewage as a raw material, with increasingly high processing efficiency and improved removal of both conventional and emerging pollutants.Modern technologies and legal regulations are driving the implementation of such targeted technological solutions.