Kerspleben Wastewater Treatment Plant, Erfurt, Thüringen, Germany

Kerspleben is a former wastewater treatment plant located in the Töttleben district of Erfurt, Thüringen, Germany. The facility served a population of 2,077 and was designed with a capacity of 3,000 m³ per day, discharging an average of 525.64 m³ per day. The plant is now closed, reflecting infrastructure changes in the region. As a secondary treatment plant, Kerspleben provided biological treatment to reduce organic pollutants. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) between 2,000 and 10,000 are required to have appropriate treatment, typically secondary. The plant's capacity and discharge volume align with this small-scale classification. The plant's treated effluent was discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Gera River, a tributary of the Unstrut, which flows into the Saale and eventually the Elbe River. The Elbe discharges into the North Sea. The surrounding watershed supports agricultural and natural habitats, and proper treatment helps protect downstream water quality.

The plant discharged into the Gera River basin, part of the Elbe watershed that flows to the North Sea. The region's water bodies support diverse aquatic life and are used for agriculture and recreation. Secondary treatment reduces organic load and nutrients, mitigating eutrophication risks in downstream rivers and the North Sea.