KA Oldersum (4570142008) - Closed Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Oldersum, Germany

KA Oldersum (4570142008) is a former wastewater treatment plant located in Oldersum, a district of Moormerland in the Landkreis Leer, Niedersachsen, Germany. The plant served a population equivalent of 1,987 and was designed with an advanced treatment level, reflecting Germany's stringent wastewater standards under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. As an advanced treatment facility, KA Oldersum was equipped to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which is typical for plants discharging into sensitive water bodies. The plant had a designed capacity of 4,000 m³/day, with an actual discharge volume of 290.86 m³/day, indicating it operated well below capacity before closure. Its operational status is now closed, and the wastewater is likely redirected to a neighboring plant. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) suggests its discharge likely affected the Ems River estuary or the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage site (though not named here). The advanced treatment level was crucial to protect the sensitive North Sea ecosystem from nutrient pollution and eutrophication.

KA Oldersum discharged into the Ems River basin, which flows into the Wadden Sea, a critical intertidal zone supporting migratory birds, seals, and diverse marine life. The plant's advanced treatment helped reduce nutrient loads to the North Sea, mitigating algal blooms and oxygen depletion. The region's flat, coastal terrain and agricultural runoff further emphasize the importance of effective wastewater management in this ecologically sensitive area.