Kloch Polten Wastewater Treatment Plant, Pölten, Steiermark, Austria

Kloch Polten is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Pölten, a locality in the municipality of Klöch, Bezirk Südoststeiermark, Steiermark, Austria. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,007 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Austrian and EU regulations. The plant operates with advanced treatment, which goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. This level of treatment is typical for plants discharging into sensitive areas. The designed capacity is 2,500 m³/day, with an actual discharge volume of 171.73 m³/day, indicating significant spare capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), small agglomerations like this are generally required to provide appropriate treatment, and Austria has implemented stringent standards for nutrient removal. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Mur River, a major tributary of the Drava and ultimately the Danube River basin. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the ecological health of these downstream waters, which support diverse aquatic life and are important for regional biodiversity.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Mur River, part of the Danube basin. The Mur River supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and is a key waterway in the region. Advanced treatment at this plant reduces nutrient loads, helping to prevent eutrophication in downstream water bodies, including the Danube and the Black Sea.