Pyrbaum Wastewater Treatment Plant, Oberhembach, Bavaria

The Pyrbaum wastewater treatment plant is located in Oberhembach, a district of Pyrbaum in the Bavarian region of Germany. It serves a population of approximately 3,683 residents, providing advanced treatment to protect local water quality. The plant's designed capacity is 7,025 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 932.08 m³/day. As an advanced treatment facility, Pyrbaum goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which is typical for plants in sensitive catchment areas under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). This directive requires tertiary treatment for agglomerations over 10,000 population equivalent discharging into sensitive areas, and smaller plants may also adopt advanced treatment to meet local water quality objectives. The treated effluent from Pyrbaum is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Danube River basin, flowing towards the Black Sea. The region's aquatic ecosystems benefit from the plant's high treatment standards, which help reduce nutrient loading and protect downstream biodiversity in rivers and wetlands.

The Pyrbaum plant discharges into the local tributaries of the Danube River basin, which flows through Bavaria and several other European countries before reaching the Black Sea. The watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor for fish and migratory birds. Advanced treatment at this plant helps minimize nutrient pollution, safeguarding water quality in downstream rivers and lakes.