Jois Wastewater Treatment Plant, Burgenland, Austria

The Jois wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Jois, in the Bezirk Neusiedl am See district of Burgenland, Austria. It serves a population of approximately 3,926 residents, making it a small to medium-sized municipal facility. The plant is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Neusiedl, a large steppe lake on the Austrian-Hungarian border. 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 water bodies. The plant's designed capacity is 8,400 m³/day, and it currently treats an average of 860.84 m³/day, indicating significant reserve capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into the local drainage system that ultimately flows into Lake Neusiedl, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and an ecologically sensitive shallow lake. The lake supports diverse aquatic life and is an important stopover for migratory birds. The advanced treatment helps protect the lake's water quality and its unique ecosystem.

The plant discharges into the catchment of Lake Neusiedl, a large shallow steppe lake shared by Austria and Hungary. The lake is a critical habitat for numerous bird species and supports a unique aquatic ecosystem adapted to brackish conditions. The advanced treatment ensures that nutrient loads are minimized, preventing eutrophication and preserving the lake's ecological balance.