KA Waldenburg Roter Graben Wastewater Treatment Plant, Waldenburg, Saxony

KA Waldenburg Roter Graben is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Waldenburg, Saxony, Germany. It serves a small population of 550 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or small-town setting within the Zwickau district. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 600 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 86.70 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variations. Treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Zwickauer Mulde river, a tributary of the Mulde, which flows into the Elbe and ultimately the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local watershed and downstream aquatic ecosystems from untreated wastewater pollution.

The plant discharges into the Roter Graben, a small stream that flows into the Zwickauer Mulde river. The Zwickauer Mulde joins the Freiberger Mulde to form the Mulde, which drains into the Elbe River and then the North Sea. The watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional biodiversity. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic load and nutrient pollution, protecting downstream water quality.