Overview
Arnsberg Wildshausen wastewater treatment plant serves approximately 113,000 people in Arnsberg, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The Arnsberg Wildshausen wastewater treatment plant is located in the Wildshausen district of Oeventrop, within the city of Arnsberg in the Hochsauerlandkreis region of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The plant serves a population of around 113,000, classifying it as a large agglomeration under EU regulations. As a German facility, it is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires advanced treatment for sensitive areas and secondary treatment as a minimum for agglomerations of this size. The plant's discharge likely flows into the Ruhr River, a major tributary of the Rhine, which ultimately drains into the North Sea. The Ruhr basin supports diverse aquatic life and is an important water resource for the region. The plant's operation is integral to maintaining water quality in this densely populated and industrialized area.
Environmental context
The plant's treated effluent is expected to discharge into the Ruhr River, which flows through the Sauerland region and joins the Rhine near Duisburg. The Rhine then empties into the North Sea. The Ruhr watershed supports a variety of fish species and is a key drinking water source for the Ruhr metropolitan area. The plant's location inland, over 50 km from the coast, reduces direct marine impact, but its discharge contributes to the overall nutrient load in the Rhine basin, which has been subject to eutrophication concerns in the North Sea.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in the Wildshausen district of Oeventrop, within the city of Arnsberg, in the Hochsauerlandkreis region of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
The plant serves approximately 113,022 people, classifying it as a large agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the Ruhr River, which flows into the Rhine and eventually reaches the North Sea.
As a German plant serving over 100,000 people, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment as a minimum and tertiary treatment if discharging into sensitive areas.
For agglomerations of this size, German plants typically provide at least secondary biological treatment, and often advanced treatment to meet strict nutrient removal standards, especially in sensitive catchments like the Rhine basin.
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