Lohe Fohrden Wastewater Treatment Plant - Lohe-Föhrden, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Lohe Fohrden is a wastewater treatment plant located in the municipality of Lohe-Föhrden, in the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,100, making it a small agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). It is situated inland, more than 10 km from the coast, and its treated effluent flows into the local drainage network that ultimately reaches the North Sea via the Elbe River. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU UWWTD for agglomerations of this size. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) to protect sensitive water bodies. The designed capacity of the plant is 6,250 m³/day, and the reported discharge volume is 626.25 m³/day, indicating a utilization rate of about 10%. This suggests the plant has significant reserve capacity for future growth or seasonal peaks. The receiving water body is part of the Elbe River basin, which drains into the North Sea. The region's watercourses support diverse aquatic life and are important for migratory fish species. By providing advanced treatment, Lohe Fohrden helps reduce nutrient loading to downstream waters, contributing to the ecological health of the Elbe estuary and the North Sea.

The plant's treated effluent enters small streams that flow into the Elbe River, which discharges into the North Sea. The Elbe estuary is an ecologically sensitive area supporting diverse fish and bird populations. Advanced treatment at Lohe Fohrden reduces nutrient inputs, helping to mitigate eutrophication risks in downstream coastal waters.