KA Kurbitz Wastewater Treatment Plant, Kürbitz, Saxony, Germany

KA Kurbitz is an advanced wastewater treatment facility located in the village of Kürbitz, part of the Weischlitz municipality in the Vogtlandkreis district of Saxony, Germany. The plant serves a population of around 5,100 residents and is designed to handle up to 7,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day, with an average daily discharge of 763.20 cubic meters. As an advanced treatment plant, KA Kurbitz goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which is typical for plants in sensitive catchment areas under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The directive requires tertiary treatment for agglomerations of this size discharging into sensitive areas, and Saxony designates many water bodies as sensitive to eutrophication. The treated effluent from KA Kurbitz is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the White Elster River, a tributary of the Saale River, which flows into the Elbe and then the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of these rivers and the downstream aquatic ecosystem.

KA Kurbitz discharges treated wastewater into a small stream that feeds the White Elster River, part of the Elbe basin. The White Elster flows through the Vogtland region and into the Saale River, which joins the Elbe and empties into the North Sea. The downstream environment includes ecologically sensitive areas that support diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as grayling and brown trout. Advanced treatment at the plant helps reduce nutrient loading, mitigating eutrophication risks in the receiving waters.