DEVELOPMENT OF SEWERAGE AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT IN LITHUANIA DTech Pekka E. Pietilä*, MSc Inga Urniezaite**, Ass. Prof. Viktoras Racys** *Tampere University of Technology **Kaunas University of Technology Photo: Daina Kliaugaite

WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICES 1800s s – private initiatives in largest cities; 1910s s – city administrations search for solutions to improve water supply/sewerage; 1920s s – water and wastewater services expanded and developed; – water supply and sewerage were state responsibilities. Water services were developed and operated by Lithuanian engineers and staff, but the practices, rules and regulations came from Soviet central institutions in Moscow; now – responsibility for public water supply and sewerage transferred from the state to municipalities. In 2000 there were close to 900 sewerage systems. Photo: Daina Kliaugaite

DEVELOPMENT OF SEWERAGE IN KAUNAS

19 th century – city grew and sanitary situation worsened continuosly; 1914 – contract on sewerage project signed; 1924 – construction work started; – 61km of sewerage and 27 km of stormwater network built; 2006 – Kaunas had 585km of wastewater and 331km of stormwater sewers. Photo: Daina Kliaugaite

DEVELOPMENT OF SEWERAGE IN KAUNAS

BIOLOGICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT IN SIAULIAI

1930 – plans for sewerage project; 1935 – construction of sewerage started; 1955 – construction of the first municipal wastewater treatment plant in Lithuania started; 1959 – the first phase, mechanical treatment and disinfection, began operation; 1968 – the first biological wastewater treatment plant in the Baltic States was taken into use; 1992 – Siauliai was defined as one of the major polluters of the Baltic Sea, a so-called Hot Spot; 1996 – of a new wastewater treatment plant was started; 2004 – new biological wastewater treatment plant with phosphorus and nitrogen removal processes completed; 2006 – Siauliai was removed from HELCOM’s Hot Spot list. Photo: Daina Kliaugaite

BIOLOGICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT IN SIAULIAI

SEWERAGE AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT IN VILNIUS

1800s – several drainage canals, leading wastewater to the rivers, were built of wood, stone or brick in the central area of the city and open canals were covered; early 1900s – city has had an up-to-date sewerage network, but wastewater was discharged into the Neris River; 1986 – mechanical wastewater treatment plant was taken into use; 1988 – activated sludge treatment plant started operation; 2002 – modernization of the plant. Photo: Daina Kliaugaite

SEWERAGE AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT IN VILNIUS

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The development of sewerage in these Lithuanian cities has been gradual starting with drainage ditches which were later often covered. The need to improve sewerage systems was boosted by worsening hygienic conditions as the populations of the cities grew. In the initial stages of modern sewerage, the cities did not have the required expertise which is why private companies were invited to help. Soon, however, the cities took over the responsibility for sewerage system planning and construction. There were some early attempts to implement wastewater treatment, but it was only in the late 1950s when the first wastewater treatment plant was taken into use. Gradually wastewater treatment plants were built in all cities, and during the last decade many plants have been upgraded to meet European Union requirements. Photo: Daina Kliaugaite