Overview
Elchingen wastewater treatment plant serves approximately 12,600 residents in Bavaria, Germany. The facility operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this scale.
The Elchingen wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Elchingen in the Bavarian district of Neu-Ulm, Germany. Serving a population of around 12,617, the plant is part of the region's municipal wastewater infrastructure, handling domestic sewage from the local community. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations with a population equivalent between 10,000 and 150,000 are required to provide secondary treatment (biological treatment) for their wastewater. This regulatory framework ensures that the plant meets European standards for organic matter and suspended solids removal before discharge. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into a local watercourse that eventually drains into the Danube River basin. The Danube is a major European river flowing through multiple countries before reaching the Black Sea. The plant's operations help protect the water quality of the Danube catchment, supporting aquatic ecosystems and downstream water uses.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a tributary of the Danube River, which flows through Bavaria and ultimately reaches the Black Sea. The Danube basin supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as sturgeon and carp, and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The treatment plant helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, contributing to the ecological health of the river system.
Frequently asked questions
The Elchingen wastewater treatment plant is located in the municipality of Elchingen, in the district of Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, Germany.
The plant serves approximately 12,617 residents in the Elchingen area.
The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that flows into the Danube River basin, eventually reaching the Black Sea.
As a German plant serving over 10,000 people, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size.
Under the EU UWWTD, plants serving between 10,000 and 150,000 population equivalent must provide secondary treatment, which typically involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids.
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