News

Lithuania ranks as a leading EU Member State in wastewater management, according the European Commission’s Report on the Implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.

Lithuania’s primary wastewater collection system is 100% in line with EU requirements, while its secondary and tertiary (most stringent) wastewater treatment corresponds to 98% and 85% of the EU laws accordingly. This puts Lithuania, along with the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia, at the top of EU’s best wastewater handling nations.

"We are very proud of our achievements, but there is no room for complacency,” says Minister of Environment Valentinas Mazuronis.

He also lays out a vision for the future wastewater management in Lithuania: “In the future, our priority will be to install wastewater treatment in small communities, which are mostly beset with wastewater management issues. In some, we hope, it will be possible to create autonomous sewage treatment systems; the rest will have to be connected to the centralized network.”

Wastewater treatment in communities with 2,000 and less inhabitants is currently the biggest issue for Lithuania. These communities were not entitled to EU financial support under the current financial framework and therefore will be prioritized in the EU Multiannual Financial Plan 2014-2020.

“The ultimate goal is to spend the EU money in the most efficient way,” stresses Minister Mazuronis.

In 2012, 93% of the total wastewater in Lithuania was completely cleaned, while insufficiently treated wastewater amounted to 7%. Only 21% of wastewater was considered “treated” in 2002.

This quantum leap has been made possible thanks to the support of the EU funds. In 2000-2013, LTL2.9 billion (EUR 840 million) was invested in the development of the national water supply and wastewater management systems. These funds have been allocated predominately for the rehabilitation and installation of new pipelines and the development of alternative wastewater treatment.

Since early 2013, Lithuania has joined the group of EU Member States that are planning to move their wastewater management into the electronic space. Upon the completion of this EU-sponsored project, every resident of Lithuania will have a possibility to monitor online the operation of a selected wastewater treatment plant, the quality of treated wastewater, the quantity of sewage discharged into the system, and other important parameters.

See full text here (in Lithuanian).

Source: 15min.lt