Overview
Assling wastewater treatment plant in Tirol, Austria serves about 4,000 people with advanced treatment. It discharges 398.23 cubic meters per day into the Drau River catchment.
The Assling wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Assling, in the Bezirk Lienz district of Tirol, Austria. It serves a population of approximately 3,976 people and has a designed capacity of 4,200 cubic meters per day, with an average daily discharge of 398.23 cubic meters. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) to protect sensitive receiving waters. Treated effluent from the plant is discharged into the Drau River, a major tributary of the Danube. The Drau flows through Austria, Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia before joining the Danube near Osijek. The plant's advanced treatment helps maintain water quality in the Drau and ultimately the Danube basin, supporting aquatic ecosystems and downstream water uses.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Drau River, which flows through the Eastern Alps and into the Danube basin. The Drau supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as grayling and brown trout. The advanced treatment at Assling reduces nutrient loads, helping to prevent eutrophication in downstream water bodies, including the Danube Delta, a region of high ecological importance.
Frequently asked questions
The Assling wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Assling, in the Bezirk Lienz district of Tirol, Austria, near the Drau River.
The Assling WWTP serves a population of approximately 3,976 people.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the Drau River, which flows into the Danube basin and eventually the Black Sea.
The Assling plant provides advanced treatment, which includes nutrient removal beyond secondary treatment, in line with EU standards for sensitive areas.
Under the EU UWWTD, agglomerations with a population equivalent above 2,000 require secondary treatment. Assling, serving about 4,000 people, meets this requirement and goes further with advanced treatment to protect the Drau River and downstream ecosystems.
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