Ennepetal Oberbauer Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ennepetal, Germany

Ennepetal Oberbauer is a wastewater treatment plant located in Ennepetal, within the Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis district of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The plant served a small population of 1,502 and had a designed capacity of 2,800 cubic meters per day, with an actual discharge volume of 380.12 cubic meters per day. It is now closed. As an advanced treatment facility, Ennepetal Oberbauer provided a higher level of treatment beyond secondary, 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 discharging into sensitive areas, and Germany applies stringent standards across many water bodies. The plant's treated effluent was discharged into the local water system, which ultimately drains into the Ennepe River, a tributary of the Volme, then the Ruhr, and finally the Rhine. The Rhine basin is a major European waterway supporting diverse aquatic life and providing drinking water for millions. The plant's advanced treatment helped protect downstream ecosystems from nutrient pollution.

The plant discharged into the Ennepe River, which flows into the Volme, then the Ruhr, and finally the Rhine River. The Rhine basin is a densely populated and industrialized region, making nutrient removal critical to prevent eutrophication in the North Sea. The plant's advanced treatment contributed to maintaining water quality in this ecologically sensitive watershed.