Overview
Ilmenau wastewater treatment plant serves approximately 42,900 people in Thüringen, Germany. The facility operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, ensuring regulatory compliance for its population tier.
Ilmenau wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Ilmenau, within the Ilm-Kreis district of Thüringen, Germany. The facility serves a population of approximately 42,900, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under EU regulations. As part of Germany's wastewater infrastructure, the plant is subject to stringent national and European standards. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations of this size are required to provide at least secondary treatment, with tertiary treatment mandated if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas. The plant's operational details, including specific treatment processes and capacity, are managed by local authorities to meet these regulatory requirements. The treated effluent from the Ilmenau plant is discharged into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Elbe River basin. This river system flows northward through Germany before reaching the North Sea, supporting diverse aquatic ecosystems along its course. The plant plays a key role in protecting water quality in the region.
Environmental context
The Ilmenau plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Elbe River basin. The Elbe flows through central and northern Germany, eventually reaching the North Sea. This watershed supports a variety of aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor. The plant's operations help maintain water quality in this sensitive river system, which is subject to EU water framework directives.
Frequently asked questions
The Ilmenau wastewater treatment plant is located in Ilmenau, within the Ilm-Kreis district of Thüringen, Germany. Its address is 9, Hüttengrund, Ilmenau.
The plant serves approximately 42,900 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU wastewater regulations.
The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that are part of the Elbe River basin, which flows to the North Sea.
The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size and tertiary treatment in sensitive areas.
In Germany, plants of this scale typically provide secondary biological treatment, with additional nutrient removal if discharging into sensitive waters, as required by the EU directive.
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