Overview
Marktgemeinde Griffen is an advanced wastewater treatment plant in Rakounig, Kärnten, Austria. Serving approximately 4,767 people, it operates with a designed capacity of 4,950 m³/day and discharges 781.63 m³/day.
Marktgemeinde Griffen is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Rakounig, a locality within the municipality of Griffen in the state of Kärnten, Austria. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,767 people, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category under Austrian and EU regulations. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. With a designed capacity of 4,950 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 781.63 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. As an Austrian plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates advanced treatment for sensitive areas. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Drava River, a major tributary of the Danube. The Drava flows through Slovenia, Croatia, and Hungary before joining the Danube, making the plant's nutrient removal important for downstream water quality in the Danube basin and ultimately the Black Sea.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into small streams that feed into the Drava River, which flows through the Alpine foothills of southern Austria. The Drava is a significant tributary of the Danube, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing water for agriculture and industry. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting downstream ecosystems in the Drava and Danube basins from eutrophication.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located at Kläranlagenstraße, Poppendorf, Rakounig, in the municipality of Griffen, Bezirk Völkermarkt, Kärnten, Austria.
The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that flow into the Drava River, a major tributary of the Danube, ultimately reaching the Black Sea.
The plant protects the Drava River and downstream Danube River by removing nutrients and pollutants through advanced treatment, reducing the risk of eutrophication in these water bodies.
As an Austrian plant serving about 4,767 people, it falls under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For agglomerations of this size, the directive requires secondary treatment, but the plant provides advanced treatment, exceeding minimum requirements.
In Austria, plants serving populations of 2,000 to 10,000 typically provide secondary treatment as a minimum. However, many plants in sensitive areas, such as those draining into the Danube basin, implement advanced treatment to meet stricter nutrient removal standards.
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