Overview
ARA Gasteinertal is a wastewater treatment plant in Salzburg, Austria, serving approximately 29,000 people. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this scale.
ARA Gasteinertal is a wastewater treatment plant located in the Salzburg region of Austria, serving a population of approximately 29,083. The plant is situated in the Gastein Valley, a mountainous area known for its tourism and natural springs. As a municipal facility, it plays a key role in managing wastewater from local communities and businesses. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) between 10,000 and 150,000 are required to have secondary treatment. For plants in sensitive areas, such as those discharging into alpine rivers, tertiary treatment may be mandated to reduce nutrient loads. Austria has designated many of its water bodies as sensitive, so advanced treatment is common. The treated effluent from ARA Gasteinertal is discharged into the Gasteiner Ache river, which flows into the Salzach River, a major tributary of the Inn River. The Inn ultimately joins the Danube, which drains into the Black Sea. The alpine watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including brown trout and other cold-water species, making nutrient control important for ecosystem health.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Gasteiner Ache river, a tributary of the Salzach River, which flows into the Inn River and then the Danube, eventually reaching the Black Sea. The alpine watershed is ecologically sensitive, supporting cold-water fish species and requiring careful nutrient management to prevent eutrophication. The region's tourism and agriculture add to the importance of maintaining high water quality standards.
Frequently asked questions
ARA Gasteinertal is located in the Salzburg region of Austria, in the Gastein Valley. The plant's address is Kläranlage, 20, Unterberger Straße, 5632, Austria.
The plant serves approximately 29,083 people, making it a medium-sized agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The treated effluent is discharged into the Gasteiner Ache river, which flows into the Salzach River, a tributary of the Inn River, and eventually reaches the Danube and the Black Sea.
As an Austrian plant, ARA Gasteinertal operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations over 10,000 PE. Austria also designates sensitive areas where tertiary treatment is needed.
For plants of this scale in Austria, secondary treatment is mandatory under EU law. Many plants also incorporate tertiary treatment to remove nutrients, especially in sensitive alpine watersheds like the Gastein Valley.
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