Turnau Wastewater Treatment Plant: Advanced Treatment in Steiermark, Austria

The Turnau wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Turnau, in the district of Bruck-Mürzzuschlag, Steiermark, Austria. It serves a population of approximately 3,900 residents, placing it in the small agglomeration category under Austrian and EU regulations. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 4,000 m³ per day, with an actual discharge volume of 702 m³ per day, indicating ample reserve capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the Mur River, a major tributary of the Drava and Danube river systems. This contributes to the protection of downstream aquatic ecosystems and the broader Danube basin.

The plant's discharge enters a small stream that flows into the Mur River, which then joins the Drava and eventually the Danube before reaching the Black Sea. The Mur River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish species. Advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading and protects water quality in this sensitive river network.