Aukrug Bunzen, Aukrug | Germany Wastewater

Overview

Aukrug Bunzen is an advanced wastewater treatment plant in Aukrug, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It serves approximately 3,945 people with a designed capacity of 7,000 m³/day.

Aukrug Bunzen is a wastewater treatment plant located in Aukrug, a municipality in the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The plant serves a population of about 3,945 and has a designed capacity of 7,000 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 584.53 m³/day. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), plants serving agglomerations of this size are required to provide secondary treatment, but advanced treatment is often implemented in sensitive areas to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that eventually drain into the North Sea. The region's watercourses support diverse aquatic life and are part of the broader Elbe basin, which is ecologically significant for migratory fish and wetland habitats.

Environmental context

The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Stör river, a tributary of the Elbe, which ultimately reaches the North Sea. The Elbe estuary is a critical habitat for fish species such as smelt and eel, and the surrounding wetlands provide important bird habitats. Advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting downstream ecosystems from eutrophication.

Frequently asked questions

Aukrug Bunzen is located at 67 Bünzer Straße in Aukrug, in the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

The plant serves approximately 3,945 people in the Aukrug area.

Treated wastewater is discharged into local water bodies that flow into the Stör river, a tributary of the Elbe, which drains into the North Sea.

Under the EU UWWTD, plants serving agglomerations of this size (3,945 PE) are required to provide secondary treatment. Aukrug Bunzen uses advanced treatment, exceeding the minimum requirements, which is typical for sensitive areas.

In Germany, plants of this scale typically employ secondary biological treatment with nutrient removal, often including phosphorus and nitrogen reduction, to meet stringent national standards under the EU UWWTD.