KA Dersum Wastewater Treatment Plant, Walchum, Niedersachsen

KA Dersum (4544012001) is a wastewater treatment plant located in Walchum, within the Samtgemeinde Dörpen in the Emsland district of Niedersachsen, Germany. The plant serves a population of around 3,200 and has a designed capacity of 3,200 cubic meters per day, indicating it is sized to meet the needs of this small agglomeration. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. This level of treatment typically includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) and is often mandated for discharges into sensitive areas to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Ems River basin, which flows northward into the North Sea. The advanced treatment helps safeguard the ecological health of the receiving waters and downstream environments, supporting aquatic life and reducing eutrophication risks.

The plant discharges into the Ems River basin, which flows through Niedersachsen into the Dollart estuary and then the North Sea. The Ems is an ecologically important river supporting diverse fish populations and migratory birds. Advanced treatment at KA Dersum helps minimize nutrient loading, protecting the river's sensitive ecosystems and the downstream marine environment from excessive algal growth.