Vilshofen Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vilshofen an der Donau, Bavaria

The Vilshofen wastewater treatment plant is located in Vilshofen an der Donau, a town in the Bavarian district of Passau, Germany. The facility serves a population equivalent of approximately 50,110, classifying it as a medium agglomeration under EU regulations. Its location near the Danube River places it within a major European watershed. As a German plant serving over 10,000 people, Vilshofen is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC. This directive requires secondary treatment for all discharges from agglomerations of this size, with more stringent tertiary treatment if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas. The plant's treatment processes are designed to meet these regulatory standards, ensuring compliance with national and EU water quality goals. The treated effluent from Vilshofen is discharged into the Danube River, which flows eastward through Central and Eastern Europe before emptying into the Black Sea. The Danube is a vital ecological corridor supporting diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species. The plant's operations help protect downstream water quality in the Danube basin, which is ecologically sensitive and supports numerous habitats.

The Vilshofen plant discharges into the Danube River, a major European waterway that flows through ten countries to the Black Sea. The Danube basin supports a rich diversity of aquatic species, including sturgeon and other migratory fish. The plant's treatment helps maintain water quality in this ecologically significant river system, which is important for both biodiversity and human use downstream.