Pfaffenhofen_Ilm Wastewater Treatment Plant, Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, Bavaria

Pfaffenhofen_Ilm is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, Bavaria, Germany. The plant serves a population of approximately 47,824, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The facility is situated in the Ilm River valley, a region characterized by mixed urban and agricultural land use. As a German plant serving over 10,000 population equivalent, it is required to meet secondary treatment standards under the EU UWWTD. Given its location within a sensitive area (the Danube basin), tertiary treatment for nutrient removal is likely implemented to protect downstream water quality. Typical German facilities of this scale employ activated sludge systems with nitrogen and phosphorus removal. The treated effluent is discharged into the Ilm River, a tributary of the Abens, which flows into the Danube River. The Danube ultimately drains into the Black Sea, making this plant part of a transboundary river basin. The Ilm River supports diverse aquatic life and is used for recreation and irrigation downstream.

The plant discharges into the Ilm River, which flows into the Abens and then the Danube River, eventually reaching the Black Sea. The Danube basin is ecologically significant, hosting numerous fish species and migratory birds. The Ilm River itself is a small to medium-sized stream that supports local biodiversity and is sensitive to nutrient pollution. As part of the Danube catchment, the plant's nutrient removal helps reduce eutrophication risks in the Black Sea.