Overview
Antwerpen Noord is a municipal wastewater treatment plant serving 64,000 people in Antwerp, Belgium. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this scale.
Antwerpen Noord is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the city of Antwerp, in the Flemish region of Belgium. The plant serves a population equivalent of 64,000, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations. It is situated in the port area of Antwerp, a major industrial and urban hub. As a plant serving over 10,000 people, Antwerpen Noord is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for all discharges from agglomerations of this size. The directive also mandates more advanced treatment if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas. The plant's designed capacity is 1. 00 (likely in thousands of cubic meters per day), indicating it is sized to handle the local wastewater load. The treated effluent from Antwerpen Noord is discharged into the Scheldt River, which flows through Antwerp and eventually reaches the North Sea via the Western Scheldt estuary. The Scheldt is a vital waterway for shipping and supports diverse aquatic life. The plant plays a key role in protecting the river and downstream marine environment from nutrient pollution and organic matter.
Environmental context
Antwerpen Noord discharges treated wastewater into the Scheldt River, which flows through the port of Antwerp and into the North Sea via the Western Scheldt estuary. The Scheldt basin is ecologically significant, supporting migratory fish species and estuarine habitats. The plant's treatment helps reduce nutrient loads that could otherwise contribute to eutrophication in the coastal waters of the North Sea.
Frequently asked questions
Antwerpen Noord is located in the city of Antwerp, in the Flemish region of Belgium, specifically at Moerstraat 22 in the district of Antwerpen-Noord.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 64,000 people, making it a medium-sized agglomeration under EU classification.
The treated effluent from Antwerpen Noord is discharged into the Scheldt River, which flows through Antwerp and into the North Sea via the Western Scheldt estuary.
As a Belgian plant serving over 10,000 people, Antwerpen Noord operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment and potentially tertiary treatment if the receiving waters are sensitive.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, plants serving between 10,000 and 150,000 people are required to have at least secondary treatment. In Belgium, many such plants also incorporate nutrient removal to protect sensitive water bodies like the Scheldt.
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