Overview
Elschbach wastewater treatment plant serves the community of Hütschenhausen in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It treats wastewater for approximately 8,244 people under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
Elschbach wastewater treatment plant is located in the village of Elschbach, part of the municipality of Hütschenhausen in the district of Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The plant serves a population of about 8,244 people, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under EU standards. As a German wastewater facility, Elschbach operates within the framework of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The plant's treatment processes are designed to meet national water quality standards set by the German Water Resources Act (Wasserhaushaltsgesetz). The treated effluent from Elschbach is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Rhine River basin. The Rhine is a major European river that flows through Germany and the Netherlands into the North Sea, supporting diverse aquatic ecosystems and serving as a critical water resource for millions of people.
Environmental context
Elschbach's treated wastewater enters small streams in the Glan river system, which flows into the Nahe River and then the Rhine River. The Rhine basin is ecologically significant, supporting diverse fish species and migratory birds. The plant's discharge contributes to the overall water quality of the Rhine, which is monitored under the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (ICPR).
Frequently asked questions
The Elschbach wastewater treatment plant is located in the village of Elschbach, part of the municipality of Hütschenhausen in the district of Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
The Elschbach WWTP serves approximately 8,244 people, making it a small to medium agglomeration under EU classification.
The treated effluent from Elschbach is discharged into local streams that flow into the Glan River, a tributary of the Nahe River, which eventually reaches the Rhine River and the North Sea.
The Elschbach WWTP operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size, and the German Water Resources Act (Wasserhaushaltsgesetz).
For agglomerations of approximately 8,000 people, the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive requires secondary treatment (biological treatment) to remove organic matter and suspended solids. German plants often also include phosphorus removal to meet national standards.
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