Hohennauen Wastewater Treatment Plant, Rhinow, Brandenburg, Germany

Hohennauen is a former wastewater treatment plant located in the village of Hohennauen, part of the municipality of Seeblick near Rhinow, in the Havelland district of Brandenburg, Germany. The plant served the local community and was designed with a capacity of 8,500 cubic meters per day, reflecting the scale of the agglomeration it supported. Although the plant is now closed, it was equipped with advanced treatment technology, which goes beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for sensitive areas. In Germany, advanced treatment often includes nutrient removal to protect receiving waters from eutrophication. The plant's discharge would have entered local watercourses that drain into the Havel River, a tributary of the Elbe, which flows into the North Sea. The region's wetlands and floodplains are ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and migratory bird populations.

The plant's treated effluent would have entered small streams in the Havelland region, which flow into the Havel River. The Havel is part of the Elbe basin, ultimately draining into the North Sea. The area includes lowland rivers and wetlands that provide critical habitat for fish, amphibians, and waterfowl. Nutrient loading from wastewater can impact these sensitive ecosystems, making advanced treatment important for water quality.