Overview
Colpin wastewater treatment plant in Cölpin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, serves a population of 1,987 with advanced treatment. The plant is now closed.
Colpin wastewater treatment plant is located in Cölpin, a municipality in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It served a population of approximately 1,987 people and is now closed. The plant was designed with a capacity of 4,500 cubic meters per day and treated an average discharge volume of about 503 cubic meters per day. As an advanced treatment facility, Colpin provided nutrient removal beyond secondary treatment, which is typical for plants in sensitive areas under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The directive requires tertiary treatment for agglomerations over 10,000 population equivalent discharging into sensitive areas, but smaller plants may also adopt advanced treatment to protect local water quality. The plant's treated effluent was discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Tollense River and eventually into the Peene River, flowing into the Szczecin Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. The region is characterized by numerous lakes and wetlands, making nutrient removal important for preventing eutrophication in downstream water bodies.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge entered the Tollense River basin, part of the Peene River system that drains into the Szczecin Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. This watershed includes several lakes and ecologically sensitive areas that support diverse aquatic life and migratory birds. Nutrient loading from wastewater can contribute to algal blooms in the Baltic Sea, so advanced treatment helps mitigate eutrophication risks.
Frequently asked questions
The Colpin wastewater treatment plant is located in Cölpin, in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
The plant served a population of approximately 1,987 people.
The plant provided advanced treatment, which includes nutrient removal beyond secondary treatment.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, advanced treatment is required for discharges into sensitive areas. Although the plant served fewer than 10,000 people, its advanced treatment level suggests it was located in a sensitive catchment, such as the Baltic Sea basin.
The plant's discharge entered the Tollense River system, which flows into the Peene River and ultimately the Baltic Sea. Advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient pollution, protecting downstream lakes and coastal waters from eutrophication.
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