Alt Schadow Wastewater Treatment Plant, Märkische Heide, Brandenburg

Alt Schadow is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in the Märkische Heide municipality, within the Dahme-Spreewald district of Brandenburg, Germany. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,500 and has a designed capacity of 12,000 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 989 m³/day. As an advanced treatment facility, Alt Schadow 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). This directive requires tertiary treatment for agglomerations over 10,000 population equivalent discharging into sensitive areas, though smaller plants may also adopt advanced treatment to protect local water quality. The treated effluent from Alt Schadow is discharged into the local water system, which ultimately drains into the Spree River basin and then into the Havel River, a tributary of the Elbe. The Elbe flows into the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the Spreewald biosphere region, a ecologically sensitive area known for its wetlands and biodiversity.

The plant discharges into the Spree River basin, which flows through the Spreewald region before joining the Havel River and eventually the Elbe River, which empties into the North Sea. The Spreewald is a large inland delta and UNESCO biosphere reserve, characterized by wetlands and floodplain forests that support diverse aquatic life and migratory birds. Advanced treatment at Alt Schadow helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting this sensitive ecosystem from eutrophication.