ARA Gresten 1365 SB - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Gresten, Niederösterreich

ARA Gresten 1365 SB is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Gresten, a town in the Bezirk Scheibbs district of Niederösterreich, Austria. The plant serves a population of 2,283 and has a designed capacity of 4,000 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 990 m³/day. As an advanced treatment facility, ARA Gresten 1365 SB goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, ensuring high-quality effluent. The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires advanced treatment for agglomerations discharging into sensitive areas. Austria's national regulations implement this directive, and plants of this scale are typically subject to strict permit conditions. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Danube River basin. The Danube is a major European river flowing into the Black Sea, supporting diverse aquatic ecosystems. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality and biodiversity.

The plant discharges into small streams that flow into the Ybbs River, a tributary of the Danube. The Danube River basin is ecologically significant, supporting diverse fish species and migratory birds. The region's water quality is protected under the EU Water Framework Directive, and advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loads that could otherwise contribute to eutrophication in the Danube and ultimately the Black Sea.