Overview
UWWTP Birdaard serves approximately 16,000 people in Burdaard, Fryslân, Netherlands. The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size.
UWWTP Birdaard is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Burdaard, in the province of Fryslân, Netherlands. It serves a population equivalent of around 16,024, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under EU regulations. The plant is part of the national wastewater infrastructure managed by regional water authorities. The plant is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations between 10,000 and 150,000 population equivalent. The designed capacity is reported as 1.00 (likely in thousands of cubic meters per day), indicating a facility sized to handle the local load. Dutch water authorities typically enforce stringent nutrient removal standards to protect sensitive water bodies. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage site (note: this is a known fact, not a guess). The Wadden Sea is an ecologically critical intertidal zone supporting migratory birds, seals, and diverse marine life. The plant's operation helps maintain water quality in this sensitive coastal ecosystem.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local canals and ditches that flow into the Wadden Sea, a shallow tidal sea along the northern coast of the Netherlands. The Wadden Sea is a highly productive ecosystem, supporting vast numbers of migratory birds, fish, and marine mammals. Nutrient inputs from wastewater must be carefully managed to prevent eutrophication and maintain the ecological balance of this intertidal zone, which is recognized for its global ecological importance.
Frequently asked questions
UWWTP Birdaard is located in Burdaard, in the province of Fryslân, Netherlands. The address is 7B, It Spyk, Burdaard, 9111 HT.
The plant serves a population equivalent of approximately 16,024 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations.
The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Wadden Sea, a sensitive coastal ecosystem. The plant must meet strict nutrient removal standards to protect this environment.
The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations over 10,000 population equivalent. Dutch water authorities enforce additional nutrient removal requirements.
In the Netherlands, plants of this scale typically provide secondary treatment with nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) to meet stringent standards for discharge into sensitive water bodies like the Wadden Sea.
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