Overview
Dassow wastewater treatment plant serves approximately 15,000 people in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size.
The Dassow wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Dassow, within the Nordwestmecklenburg district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It serves a population of approximately 15,013 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations. The plant is situated near the Baltic Sea coast, within 50 kilometers of the shoreline. As a German facility, the plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations with a population equivalent between 10,000 and 150,000. The directive also mandates more stringent treatment if the discharge enters sensitive areas, such as coastal waters prone to eutrophication. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in thousand cubic meters per day or similar unit), indicating it is sized to handle the local wastewater load. The treated effluent from the Dassow plant ultimately discharges into the Baltic Sea, a semi-enclosed sea with limited water exchange, making it sensitive to nutrient pollution. The plant plays a key role in protecting the coastal ecosystem by reducing organic matter and nutrient loads. Its operation supports the ecological health of the Baltic Sea, which is a vital marine environment for fisheries, tourism, and biodiversity.
Environmental context
The Dassow plant discharges into the Baltic Sea via local watercourses. The Baltic Sea is a brackish inland sea with limited water exchange, making it highly sensitive to nutrient inputs that can cause algal blooms and hypoxia. The plant's treatment helps mitigate eutrophication, supporting the sea's ecological balance and the diverse marine life it sustains, including fish, seabirds, and benthic communities.
Frequently asked questions
The Dassow wastewater treatment plant is located in Dassow, in the district of Nordwestmecklenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Its address is Bahnhofstraße, Prieschendorf, Dassow.
The treated wastewater from the Dassow plant is discharged into local watercourses that flow into the Baltic Sea. The plant is within 50 kilometers of the coast, so its effluent ultimately reaches the Baltic Sea.
The Dassow plant helps protect the water quality of local streams and rivers that drain into the Baltic Sea. By treating wastewater, it reduces nutrient and pollutant loads entering these water bodies and the sea.
The Dassow plant serves a population of about 15,000, which falls under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations between 10,000 and 150,000 population equivalent. The directive requires secondary treatment, and if the receiving waters are sensitive, more stringent treatment may be needed. Given its proximity to the Baltic Sea, a sensitive area, the plant likely meets advanced treatment standards.
In Germany, wastewater treatment plants serving around 15,000 people typically provide secondary treatment (biological treatment) as a minimum. Many also include tertiary treatment for nutrient removal, especially if discharging into sensitive waters like the Baltic Sea. The EU directive mandates such treatment to prevent eutrophication.
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