Raesfeld Erle Wastewater Treatment Plant | Raesfeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen

Raesfeld Erle is a wastewater treatment plant located in the municipality of Raesfeld, within the Kreis Borken district of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The plant serves a population equivalent of 3,639, classifying it as a small agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the UWWTD for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 5,300 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 552 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating significant reserve for future growth or seasonal peaks. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Rhine River basin. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the sensitive aquatic ecosystems of the region, which support diverse freshwater species and contribute to the overall water quality of the Rhine watershed.

The plant discharges into small streams within the Issel river system, which flows into the Rhine River near the Dutch border. The Rhine basin is a major European waterway supporting diverse aquatic life and providing drinking water for millions. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loads and protect downstream ecosystems, including the Rhine delta and the North Sea.