Wolnzach Wastewater Treatment Plant | Bavaria, Germany

The Wolnzach wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Wolnzach in the district of Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, Bavaria, Germany. It serves a population of approximately 6,700 people, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under EU regulations. As a German facility, the plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations with a population equivalent between 2,000 and 10,000 discharging into freshwater. The directive also mandates more stringent treatment if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Danube River basin. The Danube flows through several Central and Eastern European countries before reaching the Black Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local aquatic environment and downstream ecosystems from nutrient pollution.

The Wolnzach plant discharges into the Ilm River, a tributary of the Danube. The Danube River basin is one of Europe's most important ecological corridors, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing habitat for migratory fish species. The region's agricultural land use contributes nutrient loads that the plant helps mitigate through its treatment processes.