Overview
Sautens wastewater treatment plant serves approximately 13,500 people in Tirol, Austria. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this scale.
The Sautens wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Sautens, in the Bezirk Imst district of Tirol, Austria. It serves a population of around 13,500, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations. The plant is situated in the Alpine region, where mountainous terrain influences wastewater management. As a plant in an EU member state, Sautens is subject to the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For agglomerations between 10,000 and 150,000 population equivalents, the directive requires secondary treatment (biological treatment) as a minimum. In sensitive areas, such as those draining into lakes or rivers with high ecological value, tertiary treatment may be required. It must comply with Austrian national regulations implementing the directive. The treated effluent from the Sautens plant is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Inn River, a major tributary of the Danube. The Danube flows into the Black Sea, making this plant part of a vast transboundary river basin. The Alpine streams in this region support sensitive aquatic ecosystems, including fish species adapted to cold, oxygen-rich waters. Proper treatment is essential to protect downstream water quality and biodiversity.
Environmental context
The Sautens plant discharges into the Inn River basin, which flows through Tirol and into Germany, eventually joining the Danube. The Danube carries water across Central and Eastern Europe to the Black Sea. The receiving waters in the Alpine region are ecologically sensitive, supporting cold-water fish like brown trout and grayling. Nutrient pollution from wastewater could impact these habitats, making effective treatment crucial for maintaining water quality and aquatic life.
Frequently asked questions
The Sautens wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Sautens, in the Bezirk Imst district of Tirol, Austria. Its address is 1, Gries, Sautens, 6432.
The Sautens plant serves approximately 13,546 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations.
The treated effluent from the Sautens plant is discharged into local watercourses that flow into the Inn River, a major tributary of the Danube, which ultimately reaches the Black Sea.
As an Austrian plant, Sautens operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of its size. Austrian national laws implement this directive.
For agglomerations between 10,000 and 150,000 population equivalents, the EU directive mandates secondary treatment (biological treatment). In sensitive areas, tertiary treatment may be required to remove nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.
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