Brilon Madfeld Wastewater Treatment Plant - Closed Advanced Facility in Brilon, Germany

Brilon Madfeld is a former wastewater treatment plant located in the Madfeld district of Brilon, in the Hochsauerlandkreis region of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The plant served a small population of 1,178 and had a designed capacity of 3,000 m³ per day, with an average discharge volume of 298.12 m³ per day. It is currently closed and no longer operational. The plant provided advanced treatment, which goes beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. In Germany, such plants are typically operated under strict state-level permits that align with federal water management regulations, ensuring high effluent quality standards. The treated wastewater was discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Rhine River basin. The region is characterized by its karst landscape and sensitive aquatic ecosystems, making advanced treatment important for protecting downstream water quality and biodiversity.

The plant discharged into small streams in the Sauerland region, which flow into the Möhne River, a tributary of the Ruhr River, and eventually into the Rhine. The area supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a sensitive karst watershed where groundwater and surface water interactions are critical. Advanced treatment helped minimize nutrient and pollutant loads to protect these ecosystems.