Straden Wieden Wastewater Treatment Plant, Hart bei Straden, Steiermark

Straden Wieden is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Hart bei Straden, a village in the municipality of Straden in the Südoststeiermark district of Steiermark, Austria. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,040 residents, reflecting its role in a small rural community. The facility operates with advanced treatment technology, which goes beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The plant has a designed capacity of 2,100 cubic meters per day, and the current discharge volume is reported at 262.64 m³/day, indicating a utilization rate well below capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the Mur River, a major tributary of the Drava River, which flows into the Danube and then the Black Sea. By providing advanced treatment, the plant helps protect the local watershed and downstream aquatic ecosystems from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.

The plant discharges into a small stream that feeds into the Mur River basin, part of the Danube catchment that flows into the Black Sea. The region is characterized by agricultural land use and small settlements, making nutrient removal important to prevent eutrophication in downstream water bodies. The advanced treatment level ensures high removal of organic matter and nutrients, supporting the ecological health of the Mur River and its tributaries.