Overview
Hvolsvollur wastewater treatment plant serves the town of Hvolsvöllur in southern Iceland. It provides secondary treatment for a population of 2,500, discharging treated effluent into the local watershed.
The Hvolsvollur wastewater treatment plant is located in Hvolsvöllur, a town in the Rangárþing eystra municipality of southern Iceland. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,500 residents, providing secondary treatment to municipal wastewater. As a facility in a small agglomeration, it plays a key role in protecting local water quality. Icelandic wastewater treatment plants are regulated under national environmental standards, which align with EU directives through the EEA Agreement. For small agglomerations like Hvolsvöllur, secondary treatment is the typical requirement to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant's treatment process supports compliance with these standards. The treated effluent is discharged into the local river system, which flows through the fertile lowlands of Suðurland and eventually reaches the North Atlantic Ocean. The receiving waters support diverse aquatic life and are important for local agriculture and tourism. Proper treatment helps maintain the ecological health of these downstream environments.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the local river network within the Rangárþing eystra area, which drains into the North Atlantic via the southern coast of Iceland. The downstream environment includes rivers and estuaries that support salmon and trout populations, as well as migratory bird species. Protecting water quality is essential for maintaining the region's ecological balance and its reliance on clean water for farming and tourism.
Frequently asked questions
The Hvolsvollur wastewater treatment plant is located in Hvolsvöllur, a town in the Rangárþing eystra municipality of southern Iceland, in the Suðurland region.
The plant serves approximately 2,500 residents of Hvolsvöllur and the surrounding area.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the local river system, which flows through southern Iceland and eventually reaches the North Atlantic Ocean.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard requirement for small agglomerations in Iceland under national regulations aligned with EU directives.
Iceland, as part of the EEA, follows the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For agglomerations under 10,000 population equivalent, secondary treatment is typically required to protect receiving waters.
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