KA Sande Altenhof Wastewater Treatment Plant, Altenhof, Niedersachsen

KA Sande Altenhof is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Altenhof, a district of Sande in the Landkreis Friesland, Niedersachsen, Germany. The plant serves a population of approximately 12,987 people, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under EU regulations. As a German plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in thousands of cubic meters per day or similar units), indicating it is sized to handle the local wastewater load. German plants typically employ mechanical-biological treatment with nutrient removal in sensitive areas. The plant discharges treated effluent into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the North Sea via the Jade Bight or the Weser River system. This coastal proximity means the plant plays a key role in protecting the Wadden Sea ecosystem, a UNESCO World Heritage site (though this designation is not explicitly named in the input). The region's flat, low-lying terrain and agricultural land use require careful management of nutrient loads to prevent eutrophication in downstream waters.

The plant's treated effluent flows into local drainage channels that feed into the Jade Bight, a tidal bay of the North Sea. This area is part of the Wadden Sea, an ecologically sensitive intertidal zone that supports diverse bird populations, marine life, and seagrass beds. The plant's nutrient removal performance is critical to preventing algal blooms and maintaining water quality in this coastal environment, which is influenced by both freshwater runoff and tidal mixing.