Recke Wastewater Treatment Plant: Serving Recke, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

The Recke wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Recke, within the Kreis Steinfurt district of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The plant serves a population equivalent of approximately 14,950, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations. As a German facility, the plant is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The directive also mandates more stringent treatment if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas. The regulatory framework ensures compliance with national standards. The treated effluent from the Recke plant is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Ems River basin. The Ems flows northward through Lower Saxony and into the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local aquatic environment and downstream ecosystems from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.

The Recke plant discharges into the catchment of the Ems River, which flows through northwestern Germany and empties into the North Sea. The Ems basin supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish species. The plant's operations help maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive river system, reducing nutrient loads that could otherwise contribute to eutrophication in the North Sea coastal zone.