Untere Gurten Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bad Füssing, Austria

Untere Gurten is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Bad Füssing, a town in the state of Bayern, Austria. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,708 people, reflecting its role in managing municipal wastewater for this small community near the German border. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 4,950 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 843.76 m³/day, the plant operates well within its capacity. As an Austrian facility, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates appropriate treatment levels based on population equivalents and receiving water sensitivity. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Danube River basin. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream aquatic ecosystems, including the Danube, which flows into the Black Sea. This contributes to the ecological health of the region's waterways.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Danube River basin. The Danube flows through central and eastern Europe before reaching the Black Sea. The watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting downstream water quality and preventing eutrophication in sensitive areas.