Oberaurach OT Unterschleichach Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bavaria, Germany

The Oberaurach OT Unterschleichach wastewater treatment plant is located in the village of Unterschleichach, part of the municipality of Oberaurach in the Haßberge district of Bavaria, Germany. It was designed to serve a population of 1,266 and has a designed capacity of 3,500 cubic meters per day. The plant is currently closed and no longer operational. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant provided biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids. 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 secondary treatment. Although this plant served fewer than 2,000 people, it still met the secondary treatment standard. The plant's discharge volume was 320.39 cubic meters per day. The plant's treated effluent was discharged into local water bodies that eventually drain into the Main River, a major tributary of the Rhine. The Rhine basin is one of Europe's most important river systems, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing water for millions. The plant's closure means that wastewater from Unterschleichach is now likely handled by a neighboring facility, ensuring continued environmental protection.

The plant discharged into small streams that flow into the Main River, which joins the Rhine before reaching the North Sea. The Rhine basin is ecologically significant, hosting species such as Atlantic salmon and European eel. The region's mixed agricultural and forested landscape requires careful nutrient management to prevent eutrophication in downstream waters.