Marktgemeinde Steinfeld und Greifenburg_Gemeinde Weissensee Wastewater Treatment Plant, Steinfeld im Drautal

Marktgemeinde Steinfeld und Greifenburg_Gemeinde Weissensee is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Steinfeld im Drautal, in the state of Kärnten, Austria. It serves a population of approximately 8,000 residents, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category under Austrian and EU regulations. As an Austrian plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The plant's treatment process and capacity are managed to meet national standards, ensuring compliance with the directive's requirements for biological treatment and nutrient removal where necessary. The treated effluent is discharged into the Drau River, a major tributary of the Danube, which flows through the Drava Valley and ultimately reaches the Black Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the Drau's water quality, supporting aquatic life and downstream ecosystems in the Alpine foreland.

The plant discharges into the Drau River, which flows through the Drava Valley in southern Austria before joining the Danube and eventually the Black Sea. The Drau supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as grayling and brown trout, and its water quality is critical for the ecological health of the Danube basin. The surrounding Alpine region is sensitive to nutrient pollution, making effective wastewater treatment essential for preserving local biodiversity.