Overview
ARA Kirchberg am Walde 2239 GD is an advanced wastewater treatment plant serving 579 people in Fromberg, Austria. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive with a designed capacity of 2250 m³/day.
ARA Kirchberg am Walde 2239 GD is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Fromberg, a locality within Kirchberg am Walde in the Bezirk Gmünd district of Niederösterreich, Austria. The plant serves a small population of 579 people, reflecting its role in a rural community. The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity of 2250 m³/day indicates sufficient headroom for current loads, with a discharge volume of 377.14 m³/day. The facility is part of Austria's comprehensive wastewater infrastructure, which ensures high treatment standards across the country. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Danube River basin, contributing to the protection of the Black Sea ecosystem. The plant's advanced treatment helps maintain water quality in the sensitive Waldviertel region, supporting aquatic life and downstream uses.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into small streams in the Waldviertel region, which flow into the Danube River via the Kamp or Thaya river systems. The Danube carries the treated water to the Black Sea, making the plant part of a transboundary basin. The region's forests and wetlands provide important habitat for species such as the European crayfish and various migratory birds, and the plant's advanced treatment helps prevent nutrient pollution that could harm these ecosystems.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Fromberg, a locality within Kirchberg am Walde in the Bezirk Gmünd district of Niederösterreich, Austria.
The plant serves a population of 579 people, typical for a small rural agglomeration in Austria.
The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that flow into the Danube River basin, eventually reaching the Black Sea.
Under the EU UWWTD, agglomerations under 2,000 population equivalent are not required to have collecting systems, but Austria mandates treatment for all communities. The plant's advanced treatment exceeds the secondary treatment standard typically required for this scale.
In Austria, small rural plants often use mechanical-biological treatment with nutrient removal. Advanced treatment, as provided here, is common to protect sensitive receiving waters in the Waldviertel region.
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