Overview
Beidenfleth wastewater treatment plant in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, serves about 2,024 people with advanced treatment. It discharges 512.23 m³/day of treated effluent and is located near the North Sea coast.
The Beidenfleth wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Beidenfleth, in the Steinburg district of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It serves a population of approximately 2,024 people, making it a small-scale facility within the region's wastewater infrastructure. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 3,000 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 512.23 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the North Sea. As a coastal plant within 10 km of the sea, the advanced treatment helps protect the sensitive marine environment of the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its tidal flats and biodiversity. The plant plays a key role in maintaining water quality in the region.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into small streams that flow into the Elbe River estuary, which then empties into the North Sea. This coastal region includes the Wadden Sea, an ecologically sensitive area that supports migratory birds, seals, and diverse marine life. Advanced treatment at Beidenfleth helps reduce nutrient loads and pollutants, protecting this fragile ecosystem from eutrophication and contamination.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Beidenfleth, a municipality in the Steinburg district of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, near the North Sea coast.
The plant serves approximately 2,024 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU wastewater directives.
Treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that flow into the Elbe River estuary and eventually the North Sea.
The plant provides advanced treatment, which includes nutrient removal beyond secondary treatment, as required for sensitive coastal areas under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) and German national regulations, which mandate advanced treatment for discharges into sensitive coastal waters like the North Sea.
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