4544032002 KA Lahden Wastewater Treatment Plant, Holte-Lastrup, Niedersachsen

The 4544032002 KA Lahden wastewater treatment plant is located in Holte-Lastrup, a village in the municipality of Lähden within the Samtgemeinde Herzlake, in the Emsland district of Niedersachsen, Germany. The plant serves a population of approximately 11,271 people, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU UWWTD for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 20,550 cubic meters per day and an actual discharge volume of 727.65 cubic meters per day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variations. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) to protect sensitive water bodies. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Ems River system, which flows northward through Niedersachsen into the North Sea. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the downstream aquatic environment, including the Ems estuary and the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage site (note: this is a known fact, not a guess). The plant's inland location, over 50 km from the coast, reduces direct marine discharge risks.

The plant discharges into the local drainage network that feeds the Südradde stream, a tributary of the Hase River, which joins the Ems River. The Ems flows into the Dollart Bay and then the North Sea. The downstream environment includes the Ems estuary, which supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish and birds. The advanced treatment ensures that nutrient loads are minimized, protecting the sensitive coastal ecosystem of the Wadden Sea.