Scharfenstein Wastewater Treatment Plant, Grießbach, Saxony, Germany

The Scharfenstein wastewater treatment plant is located in Grießbach, a district of Scharfenstein in the Erzgebirgskreis district of Saxony, Germany. It serves a population of approximately 2,030 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under German and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for inland freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. The designed capacity is 2,800 m³/day, and the current discharge volume is 304.50 m³/day, indicating ample reserve capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the Zschopau River, a tributary of the Freiberger Mulde, which flows into the Mulde and then the Elbe River. The Elbe carries the water to the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local aquatic ecosystem and downstream water quality in the Elbe basin.

The plant discharges into a small stream that feeds the Zschopau River, part of the Elbe River basin. The Elbe flows through Germany and into the North Sea, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as an important migratory corridor for fish. The region's hilly terrain and forested catchments make the local waters sensitive to nutrient pollution, which secondary treatment helps mitigate.