KA Filsum Wastewater Treatment Plant, Stickhausen, Niedersachsen

KA Filsum (plant ID 4574032011) is an advanced wastewater treatment facility located in Stickhausen, a locality in the municipality of Detern within the Samtgemeinde Jümme, Landkreis Leer, Niedersachsen, Germany. The plant serves a population equivalent of approximately 6,083 and has a designed capacity of 9,900 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 839.94 m³/day. As an advanced treatment plant, KA Filsum goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which is typical for plants in sensitive catchment areas under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For agglomerations of this size (between 2,000 and 10,000 PE), the directive requires secondary treatment, but advanced treatment is mandated in sensitive areas to prevent eutrophication. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the local water system, which ultimately drains into the North Sea via the Ems River and the Dollart estuary. This region is ecologically important as it supports diverse aquatic life and serves as a migratory corridor for fish and birds. The advanced treatment helps protect the downstream environment from nutrient pollution.

The plant discharges into the Jümme River, a tributary of the Leda, which flows into the Ems River near Leer. The Ems then empties into the Dollart estuary and the North Sea. This watershed is part of the Wadden Sea ecosystem, a critical habitat for migratory birds and marine life. Advanced treatment at KA Filsum reduces nutrient loads, helping to prevent eutrophication in the sensitive coastal waters.