Overview
ARA Tenneck Werfen is an advanced wastewater treatment plant in Tenneck, Salzburg, Austria, serving approximately 2,709 people. It discharges treated water into the local watershed, contributing to the protection of the Salzach River basin.
ARA Tenneck Werfen is an advanced wastewater treatment facility located in Tenneck, a village in the state of Salzburg, Austria. The plant serves a population of about 2,709 residents, making it a small-scale municipal treatment operation within the Alpine region. As an advanced treatment plant, it goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants, ensuring high-quality effluent. The plant has a designed capacity of 2,000 cubic meters per day and currently discharges 197.34 cubic meters per day, indicating it operates well below its capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), Austrian plants of this scale are required to meet stringent standards, especially in sensitive areas like the Alpine region. The treated effluent from ARA Tenneck Werfen ultimately flows into the Salzach River, a major tributary of the Inn River, which drains into the Danube and finally the Black Sea. The plant plays a key role in preserving the water quality of the Salzach, which supports diverse aquatic life and is important for recreation and tourism in the Salzburg region.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Salzach River, which flows northward through the Alps and joins the Inn River near Braunau. The Inn then merges with the Danube at Passau, carrying water to the Black Sea. The Salzach watershed is ecologically sensitive, supporting fish species such as brown trout and grayling, and the river is a vital corridor for migratory birds. Advanced treatment at this plant helps minimize nutrient loading, protecting downstream habitats in the Danube delta.
Frequently asked questions
ARA Tenneck Werfen is located at Bundesstraße 11 in Tenneck, a village in the state of Salzburg, Austria. It serves the local community of approximately 2,709 residents.
The plant provides advanced treatment, which includes nutrient removal beyond secondary treatment. This ensures high-quality effluent that meets stringent Austrian and EU standards for sensitive Alpine watersheds.
The treated wastewater is discharged into the local water system, which flows into the Salzach River. The Salzach is a major tributary of the Inn River, part of the Danube basin that ultimately reaches the Black Sea.
As an Austrian plant, ARA Tenneck Werfen operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates advanced treatment for sensitive areas. National Austrian regulations further enforce strict effluent limits to protect Alpine rivers.
For small agglomerations in Austria, secondary treatment is the minimum requirement under EU directives. However, due to the sensitive Alpine environment, many plants like ARA Tenneck Werfen implement advanced treatment to reduce nutrients and protect water quality in the Salzach and downstream ecosystems.
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