Mertzig Wastewater Treatment Plant - Secondary Treatment in Luxembourg

The Mertzig wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Mertzig, in the Canton Diekirch of Luxembourg. It serves a population of approximately 1,271 residents, making it a small-scale municipal facility. The plant is situated in a rural area, contributing to the local sanitation infrastructure. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 1,600 cubic meters per day, and its current discharge volume is 472.63 cubic meters per day, indicating operational capacity well within design limits. The treated effluent from Mertzig is discharged into local streams that eventually drain into the Sauer River, a tributary of the Moselle River, which flows into the Rhine and ultimately the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of these downstream water bodies, supporting aquatic life and recreational uses in the region.

The Mertzig plant discharges into small watercourses that feed into the Sauer River, part of the Moselle-Rhine basin. This watershed supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and is important for regional biodiversity. The downstream Moselle River is a significant waterway for navigation and tourism, and the plant's secondary treatment helps maintain water quality standards in this sensitive transboundary river system.