Overview
TP 242 of Kauhajoen kt serves about 38,500 people in Kauhajoki, Etelä-Pohjanmaa, Finland. The plant operates under Finnish environmental regulations and EU directives for wastewater treatment.
TP 242 of Kauhajoen kt is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Kauhajoki, within the Etelä-Pohjanmaa region of Finland. Serving an estimated population of 38,500, the facility is part of Finland's comprehensive wastewater infrastructure, which adheres to stringent national and European Union standards. As a plant serving a medium-sized agglomeration, TP 242 is expected to meet the requirements of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for inland areas and more advanced treatment where necessary to protect sensitive water bodies. Finnish legislation, including the Government Decree on Urban Waste Water Treatment (888/2006), implements these EU standards, ensuring that treated effluent meets quality criteria before discharge. The treated wastewater from this plant is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Gulf of Bothnia, part of the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is a sensitive brackish water body with limited water exchange, making nutrient removal crucial to prevent eutrophication. The plant's operations contribute to protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems and the overall health of the Baltic Sea.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local rivers and streams that flow into the Gulf of Bothnia, a northern basin of the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed, brackish sea with high ecological sensitivity, particularly to nutrient loading from wastewater and agriculture. Effective treatment at TP 242 helps reduce phosphorus and nitrogen inputs, supporting the recovery of coastal ecosystems and mitigating algal blooms.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Kauhajoki, in the Etelä-Pohjanmaa region of western Finland.
The plant serves approximately 38,500 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU definitions.
Treated wastewater is discharged into local watercourses that flow into the Gulf of Bothnia, ultimately reaching the Baltic Sea.
The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) and Finnish national legislation, which require secondary treatment and nutrient removal for plants of this scale.
In Finland, plants serving populations between 10,000 and 100,000 typically employ secondary biological treatment with phosphorus removal, often including nitrogen reduction to protect the Baltic Sea.
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