Weissenhauser Strand Wastewater Treatment Plant, Wangels, Schleswig-Holstein

The Weissenhauser Strand wastewater treatment plant is located in Wangels, a municipality in the Ostholstein district of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The plant serves a population of 2,655 and is situated near the Baltic Sea coast, reflecting the region's coastal tourism and residential character. 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 7,000 m³/day, with a current discharge volume of 403.10 m³/day, indicating ample reserve capacity. As a German facility, it operates under the national Wasserhaushaltsgesetz (Water Resources Act) and is subject to state-level oversight by Schleswig-Holstein. The treated effluent is discharged into the Baltic Sea, a semi-enclosed brackish sea with sensitive ecosystems. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect coastal water quality, supporting marine biodiversity and recreational uses. The region's drainage ultimately flows into the Baltic Sea via small coastal streams and groundwater.

The plant discharges into the Baltic Sea, a brackish inland sea connected to the North Sea via the Kattegat and Skagerrak. The Baltic Sea is ecologically sensitive due to limited water exchange, making it vulnerable to nutrient pollution. Advanced treatment at this plant reduces nitrogen and phosphorus loads, helping to mitigate eutrophication in coastal waters. The surrounding area includes beaches and coastal habitats that support migratory birds and marine life.