Overview
Scharrachbergheim wastewater treatment plant serves Scharrachbergheim-Irmstett in Grand Est, France. It handles a population equivalent of 37,000 under EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC.
The Scharrachbergheim wastewater treatment plant is located in the commune of Scharrachbergheim-Irmstett, within the Bas-Rhin department of the Grand Est region in northeastern France. The facility serves a population equivalent of 37,000, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under European Union standards. As a French plant operating under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, the facility is required to meet secondary treatment standards as a minimum. For agglomerations of this scale, the directive mandates appropriate treatment to protect receiving water bodies. The plant's discharge is regulated by French authorities under the national implementation of the directive. The treated effluent from the plant ultimately drains into the Rhine River basin via local waterways. The Rhine is a major European river that flows through Germany and the Netherlands into the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local aquatic environment and downstream ecosystems from nutrient pollution and organic load.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the local watershed that feeds the Bruche River, a tributary of the Ill River, which joins the Rhine River near Strasbourg. The Rhine is a major international waterway supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as an important migratory corridor for fish. The plant's treatment performance is critical to maintaining water quality in this ecologically sensitive river system, which ultimately drains into the North Sea.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Scharrachbergheim, part of the commune of Scharrachbergheim-Irmstett, in the Bas-Rhin department of the Grand Est region in northeastern France.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 37,000, which classifies it as a medium-sized agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed that flows into the Bruche River, a tributary of the Ill River, which eventually reaches the Rhine River and the North Sea.
As a French plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. French national authorities enforce the directive through local permits.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, plants serving between 10,000 and 150,000 population equivalent are required to provide secondary treatment (biological treatment) as a minimum. In sensitive areas, more stringent tertiary treatment may be required.
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