Overview
Houthalen Oost wastewater treatment plant serves the town of Houthalen in Limburg, Belgium, with a population equivalent of 6,500. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations o
Houthalen Oost is a wastewater treatment plant located in Houthalen, a town in the Limburg province of Flanders, Belgium. The facility serves a population equivalent of 6,500, classifying it as a small agglomeration under European Union regulations. The plant is situated in a region characterized by mixed residential and agricultural land use, with the nearby Ter Hagedoorn en Teut nature areas. As a Belgian plant, Houthalen Oost operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations with a population equivalent between 2,000 and 10,000 discharging into freshwater or estuaries. The regulatory framework ensures that the plant meets minimum treatment standards to protect receiving water bodies. The population served indicates a modest scale. The treated effluent from Houthalen Oost is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Meuse River basin, which flows northward through the Netherlands into the North Sea. The surrounding area includes sensitive ecosystems such as the Teut nature reserve, a heathland and forest area that supports diverse flora and fauna. Proper wastewater treatment is essential to prevent nutrient pollution and maintain water quality in this ecologically valuable region.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Meuse River basin, which flows through Belgium and the Netherlands before reaching the North Sea. The downstream environment includes the Teut nature reserve, a heathland and forest area that supports diverse plant and animal species, including several protected bird species. Effective treatment is critical to prevent eutrophication and maintain the ecological integrity of these sensitive habitats.
Frequently asked questions
Houthalen Oost is located in Houthalen, a town in the Limburg province of Flanders, Belgium. The plant's address is near the Ter Hagedoorn en Teut nature areas, along Toeristische weg.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 6,500, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU regulations.
The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that are part of the Meuse River basin, which ultimately flows into the North Sea.
As a Belgian plant, Houthalen Oost operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of its size.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, plants serving between 2,000 and 10,000 population equivalent are required to provide secondary treatment, which typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids.
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