Diemelsee _ Heringhausen Wastewater Treatment Plant, Hessen, Germany

Diemelsee _ Heringhausen is a former wastewater treatment plant located in the village of Heringhausen, part of the Diemelsee municipality in Hessen, Germany. The plant served a small population of 657 residents and had a designed capacity of 3,500 cubic meters per day, indicating it was sized to handle flows from the local community. The plant provided advanced treatment, which goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), advanced treatment is typically required for discharges into sensitive areas, such as lakes or rivers used for drinking water abstraction. Although the plant is now closed, its treatment level reflects the environmental sensitivity of the region. The plant's discharge likely entered local watercourses that drain into the Diemel River, a tributary of the Weser River, which flows to the North Sea. The surrounding area is characterized by the Diemelsee nature park, a region of forests and reservoirs that supports diverse aquatic life and recreational activities.

The plant's discharge would have entered small streams in the Diemel watershed, which flow into the Diemel River and eventually the Weser River, reaching the North Sea. The Diemelsee region is ecologically sensitive, with reservoirs and forests that support fish populations and migratory birds. Advanced treatment was likely required to protect water quality in this area, which is used for recreation and drinking water.