KA Lorup Wastewater Treatment Plant, Lorup, Niedersachsen, Germany

KA Lorup (4544092001) is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Lorup, a town in the Samtgemeinde Werlte, Landkreis Emsland, Niedersachsen, Germany. The plant serves a population of approximately 5,774 residents and has a designed capacity of 7,000 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 561.69 m³/day. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, meeting the stringent requirements of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For agglomerations of this size (5,000-10,000 PE), the directive mandates secondary treatment, but the plant's advanced level indicates additional nutrient removal or disinfection, likely due to the sensitivity of the receiving environment. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Ems River basin, ultimately reaching the North Sea. The plant plays a crucial role in protecting the region's water quality, supporting aquatic life in the Ems River and its tributaries, and contributing to the ecological health of the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The plant's discharge enters small streams in the Emsland region, which flow into the Ems River. The Ems River runs northward through Niedersachsen and empties into the Dollart Bay, part of the Wadden Sea. This coastal ecosystem is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse bird populations, marine life, and tidal flats. Advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loads, preventing eutrophication in these downstream waters.