Villau Wastewater Treatment Plant, Rommerskirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen

Villau is a wastewater treatment plant located in the Rommerskirchen district of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. It serves a population of approximately 3,168 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The plant is situated in the rural-suburban area of Villau, part of the municipality of Rommerskirchen. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, going beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU UWWTD for agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 5,000 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 801.74 m³/day, indicating operational headroom. As a German facility, it operates under the national Wasserhaushaltsgesetz (Water Resources Act) and relevant state regulations, with permits issued by the Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf. Treated effluent from Villau is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Rhine River basin. The Rhine is a major European waterway and ecologically significant river, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a critical migratory corridor. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality in the Rhine and its tributaries.

Villau's treated effluent flows into small streams within the Erft catchment, a tributary of the Rhine River. The Rhine basin is ecologically sensitive, supporting species such as Atlantic salmon and European eel. Advanced treatment at Villau reduces nutrient and pollutant loads, helping to maintain water quality in the Rhine and its delta, which drains into the North Sea. The region's agricultural and industrial activities place additional importance on effective wastewater treatment.