Overview
Ratingen Breitscheid wastewater treatment plant serves the Breitscheid district of Ratingen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. It treats wastewater from approximately 5,971 residents under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
Ratingen Breitscheid is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the Breitscheid district of Ratingen, in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The plant serves a population of approximately 5,971 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). As a German plant of this scale, it is required to meet secondary treatment standards as a minimum, with tertiary treatment expected if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas. The plant operates under the German Water Resources Act (Wasserhaushaltsgesetz) and is subject to state-level oversight from Nordrhein-Westfalen's environmental agency. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Rhine River basin. The Rhine is a major European waterway supporting diverse aquatic life and providing drinking water for millions. The plant's performance is critical for maintaining water quality in this ecologically and economically important river system.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into small streams within the Rhine River basin, which flows through western Germany and the Netherlands before reaching the North Sea. The Rhine supports a wide range of fish species, including salmon and eel, and is an important migratory corridor. Protecting water quality in this basin is essential for downstream ecosystems and for the many communities that rely on the Rhine for drinking water and recreation.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in the Breitscheid district of Ratingen, in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Its address is Markenweg 17c, 40885 Ratingen.
The plant serves approximately 5,971 residents, making it a small agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that are part of the Rhine River basin, ultimately flowing into the North Sea.
The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) and the German Water Resources Act. For a plant serving around 6,000 people, secondary treatment is required, with tertiary treatment if the receiving waters are sensitive.
In Germany, plants serving between 2,000 and 10,000 population equivalents are required to have secondary treatment (biological treatment) as a minimum. Many also incorporate nutrient removal to meet stricter limits in sensitive areas.
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