Overview
Stavenhagen wastewater treatment plant serves approximately 109,000 people in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this scale.
The Stavenhagen wastewater treatment plant is a municipal facility located in the town of Stavenhagen, within the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It serves a population of approximately 109,322, classifying it as a large agglomeration under EU regulations. As a German plant serving over 100,000 people, it is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary biological treatment as a minimum. For sensitive areas, which are common in the lake-rich region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, tertiary treatment for nutrient removal may be mandated. The plant's discharge likely meets these stringent standards to protect local water bodies. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Baltic Sea via the Peene River or other nearby coastal rivers. The region is characterized by numerous lakes and wetlands, making nutrient removal critical to prevent eutrophication in the Baltic Sea, a sensitive marine environment. The plant plays a key role in maintaining water quality in this ecologically important area.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the local watershed within the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte, a region of interconnected lakes and rivers that ultimately drain into the Baltic Sea via the Peene River. The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed, brackish sea highly sensitive to nutrient pollution, which can cause algal blooms and hypoxia. Effective nutrient removal at the plant is essential to protect downstream aquatic ecosystems and support the region's biodiversity.
Frequently asked questions
The Stavenhagen wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Stavenhagen, in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
The plant serves approximately 109,322 people, classifying it as a large agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
Treated wastewater from the plant is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Baltic Sea via rivers such as the Peene. The discharge is regulated to meet EU standards for nutrient removal to protect the sensitive Baltic Sea ecosystem.
As a German plant serving over 100,000 people, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment and, in sensitive areas like the Baltic Sea catchment, tertiary treatment for nitrogen and phosphorus removal.
For agglomerations of this size in Germany, secondary biological treatment is mandatory, and tertiary treatment with nutrient removal is typically required to meet strict discharge limits, especially in regions draining to the Baltic Sea.
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