Kakerbeck Wastewater Treatment Plant, Kalbe (Milde), Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany

Kakerbeck wastewater treatment plant is located in the village of Kakerbeck, part of the town Kalbe (Milde) in the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel district of Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany. The plant serves a population of 3,460 and is classified as a small agglomeration under German and EU regulations. The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 3,700 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 277.81 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Milde River, a tributary of the Elbe River. The Elbe flows through northern Germany into the North Sea. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the sensitive aquatic ecosystems of the Elbe basin, including important fish spawning grounds and migratory bird habitats.

The plant discharges into the Milde River, which flows into the Elbe River and ultimately reaches the North Sea. The Elbe basin supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species such as Atlantic salmon and sea trout. Advanced treatment at Kakerbeck reduces nutrient loads, helping to prevent eutrophication in downstream waters and the North Sea coastal zone.