In order to comply with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive’s, Water Framework Directive’s, Helsinki Commission and Estonian National Wastewater Treatment requirements to reveal the wastewater pressures and impacts on the receiving water, the aim of this work was to develop optimal Estonian Nutrient Discharge Standards for wastewater treatment plants. Wastewater treatment plants treatment efficiency, total pollution load coming from different size of treatment plants and feasibility for stricter treatment requirements and accompanying socio-economic impacts are evaluated with consideration of environmental benefits, brought by the investment. Limit values for small-scale (below 2000 population equivalent) treatment plants were proposed.
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