Herongen Wastewater Treatment Plant, Straelen, Nordrhein-Westfalen

Herongen wastewater treatment plant is located in Straelen, in the district of Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The plant serves a population equivalent of 22,000, classifying it as a medium agglomeration under EU regulations. As a German plant, Herongen is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The plant's discharge is regulated under the German Water Resources Act (WHG) and state-level permits, ensuring compliance with effluent standards. The treated wastewater is discharged into local watercourses that flow toward the Rhine River basin, ultimately draining into the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's aquatic ecosystems and groundwater quality.

Herongen's treated effluent enters the local drainage network within the Rhine River basin, which flows through the Netherlands into the North Sea. The Lower Rhine region supports diverse aquatic life and is an important corridor for migratory fish. The plant's operation helps maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive watershed.