Grafinau Angstedt Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ilmenau, Thüringen

Grafinau Angstedt is a wastewater treatment plant located in the Wolfsberg district of Ilmenau, in the state of Thüringen, Germany. The plant serves a small population of 1,432 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or suburban setting within the Ilm-Kreis region. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 3,200 cubic meters per day, indicating ample capacity for current and future needs. The plant discharges approximately 691.55 cubic meters of treated wastewater daily. The treated effluent is released into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Ilm River, a tributary of the Saale, which flows into the Elbe River and eventually reaches the North Sea. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the sensitive aquatic ecosystems of the Ilm and Saale rivers, supporting biodiversity and water quality in the region.

The plant discharges into local streams that feed the Ilm River, a tributary of the Saale River. The Saale flows into the Elbe, which empties into the North Sea. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor in central Germany. Advanced treatment at the plant reduces nutrient loads, helping to prevent eutrophication in downstream water bodies.