Overview
Weissensee wastewater treatment plant serves the town of Weißensee in Thüringen, Germany. It treats wastewater from approximately 8,083 residents under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The Weissensee wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Weißensee, within the Landkreis Sömmerda district of Thüringen, Germany. The facility serves a population of approximately 8,083 people, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under European Union regulations. As a German plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The directive also mandates appropriate treatment before discharge into inland waters, ensuring compliance with national and EU water quality standards. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Unstrut River, a tributary of the Saale, which ultimately flows into the Elbe River and the North Sea. This connection highlights the plant's role in protecting the broader Elbe basin ecosystem.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local streams that feed the Unstrut River, part of the Saale-Elbe drainage system leading to the North Sea. The region's water bodies support diverse aquatic life and are used for agriculture and recreation. Proper treatment is essential to prevent nutrient pollution and maintain water quality in this inland watershed.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Weißensee, a town in the Landkreis Sömmerda district of Thüringen, Germany, at Waldweg.
The plant serves approximately 8,083 residents, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under EU regulations.
Treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that flow into the Unstrut River, a tributary of the Saale, which drains into the Elbe River and the North Sea.
The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size to protect inland waters.
In Germany, plants serving this population typically provide secondary biological treatment, often with nutrient removal, to meet EU and national water quality standards.
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