ARA Rastenfeld 3382 KR - Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Peygarten-Ottenstein, Austria

ARA Rastenfeld 3382 KR is a wastewater treatment facility located in Peygarten-Ottenstein, a locality in the municipality of Rastenfeld, Lower Austria. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,244 people and has a designed capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day, with a current discharge volume of 337 cubic meters per day. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. As an Austrian facility, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires appropriate treatment for agglomerations of this size. Advanced treatment is typical for plants discharging into sensitive areas or where higher water quality standards apply. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Danube River basin, a major European waterway flowing into the Black Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local aquatic environment and downstream ecosystems from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.

The plant discharges into small streams in the Kamp River catchment, which flows into the Danube River. The Danube is a transboundary river that ultimately reaches the Black Sea, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing drinking water for millions. The plant's advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loads, protecting downstream water quality and preventing eutrophication in sensitive areas.