Wastewater Treatment Process Development in Central and Eastern Europe — Strategies for a Stepwise Development Involving Chemical and Biological Treatment

Wastewater management strategies are needed for Central and Eastern Europe. Economic limitations prohibit an immediate upgrading of all wastewater treatment to the standards of Western Europe and North America. Consequently, the choice of optimal wastewater management strategy then becomes very important. One can ask a question whether the historical development of wastewater treatment in Western Europe during the last 60 years is optimal for Eastern and Central Europe or whether other alternatives are feasible. Today a broad spectrum of wastewater treatment methods is available, which allows to remove pollutants to varying efficiencies. Treatment plants now being built in Western Europe are based on high removal efficiencies and have very high marginal costs per unit pollutant removed, as well as high overall costs per unit pollutant removed.