Lager Aulenbach Wastewater Treatment Plant, Reichenbach, Rhineland-Palatinate

Lager Aulenbach is a wastewater treatment plant located in Reichenbach, a municipality in the Birkenfeld district of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,200 and is designed to handle a capacity of 3,800 cubic meters per day. It is currently listed as closed. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment stage required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, ensuring compliance with EU effluent standards before discharge. The treated effluent from the plant likely discharges into a local watercourse within the Nahe river basin, which flows into the Rhine River. The Rhine is a major European waterway that ultimately drains into the North Sea. The plant's operation contributes to protecting the water quality of these downstream ecosystems.

The plant is situated inland in the Hunsrück region, within the Nahe river basin. The Nahe River flows into the Rhine, which is a critical waterway for Europe, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a migratory corridor for fish. The secondary treatment provided by the plant helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, safeguarding the ecological health of the Nahe and Rhine rivers.