Overview
Reken Maria Veen is an advanced wastewater treatment plant in Maria Veen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, serving approximately 3,073 people with a designed capacity of 5,000 m³/day.
Reken Maria Veen is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Maria Veen, a locality within the municipality of Reken in the district of Borken, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The plant serves a population of around 3,073 and has a designed capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per day, with a current discharge volume of 944 cubic meters per day, indicating it operates well below its design capacity. As an advanced treatment facility, Reken Maria Veen likely employs tertiary treatment processes to remove nutrients and other pollutants beyond secondary standards. In Germany, wastewater treatment plants of this scale are regulated under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations above 2,000 population equivalent and more stringent treatment in sensitive areas. The plant's advanced status suggests it meets high effluent quality standards. The plant discharges treated wastewater into local watercourses that drain into the Rhine River basin, eventually reaching the North Sea. The surrounding region is characterized by agricultural land and small settlements, and the plant plays a key role in protecting local groundwater and surface water quality from nutrient pollution and pathogens.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into small streams within the catchment of the Lippe River, a tributary of the Rhine. The Rhine flows through Germany and the Netherlands before emptying into the North Sea. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is used for agriculture and recreation. Advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing eutrophication in downstream water bodies and maintaining ecological balance in the Rhine delta.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Maria Veen, a locality in the municipality of Reken, in the district of Borken, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
The plant serves approximately 3,073 people, making it a small agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The plant provides advanced treatment, which typically includes tertiary processes such as nutrient removal, ensuring high effluent quality before discharge.
Under the EU UWWTD, agglomerations above 2,000 population equivalent require secondary treatment. As an advanced plant, Reken Maria Veen exceeds this standard, likely due to its location in a sensitive area or to meet local water quality goals.
The plant has a designed capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per day, with a current discharge volume of 944 cubic meters per day, indicating it operates well below its design capacity.
Nearby plants