Schonewalde Wastewater Treatment Plant, Schönewalde, Brandenburg

The Schonewalde wastewater treatment plant is located in Schönewalde, a town in the Elbe-Elster district of Brandenburg, Germany. It serves a population of approximately 3,312 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under German and EU regulations. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 8,000 m³/day, with an actual discharge volume of 336.99 m³/day, indicating significant spare capacity. Treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Elbe River basin. The Elbe flows through Germany and into the North Sea, supporting diverse aquatic ecosystems and serving as a critical water resource for the region.

The plant's discharge enters the Elbe River basin, which flows through eastern Germany and into the North Sea. The Elbe supports a variety of fish species and migratory birds, and its estuary is an ecologically sensitive area. Advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality and aquatic life.