Lohmar Wastewater Treatment Plant, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

The Lohmar wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Lohmar, within the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis district of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The facility serves a population of approximately 6,751 residents, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under European Union regulations. As a German plant operating under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), the facility is required to provide at least secondary treatment for its population size. The directive mandates that agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) between 2,000 and 10,000 must have secondary treatment, with more stringent requirements if discharging into sensitive areas. The plant's specific treatment processes and capacity are managed by the local water authority to meet these standards. The treated effluent from the Lohmar plant is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Rhine River basin. The Rhine is one of Europe's major rivers, flowing through Germany and into the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Rhine catchment, which supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and serves as a vital water resource for millions of people.

The Lohmar plant discharges into the Agger River, a tributary of the Sieg River, which flows into the Rhine River near Bonn. The Rhine basin is ecologically significant, supporting migratory fish species such as salmon and eel, and providing habitat for diverse aquatic life. The plant's treatment helps maintain water quality in this densely populated and industrially active region, ultimately affecting the North Sea ecosystem.