Overview
UWWTP Eelde serves approximately 46,710 people in Eelde, Drenthe, Netherlands. The plant is part of the national wastewater infrastructure managed under Dutch regulations.
UWWTP Eelde is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Eelde, in the province of Drenthe, Netherlands. It serves a population of around 46,710, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The plant is situated in a rural-urban fringe area near the city of Groningen. As a Dutch plant, UWWTP Eelde operates under the national implementation of the EU UWWTD, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size discharging into freshwater. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in thousands of cubic meters per day), indicating a moderate scale. Typical plants in this region employ activated sludge systems with nutrient removal to meet stringent Dutch water quality standards. The treated effluent from UWWTP Eelde is discharged into local surface waters that eventually drain into the North Sea via the Wadden Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the sensitive aquatic ecosystems of the Drentsche Aa river basin and the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its tidal flats and migratory bird populations. By reducing nutrient loads, the plant helps prevent eutrophication in downstream coastal waters.
Environmental context
UWWTP Eelde discharges into the Drentsche Aa river system, which flows northward through the province of Drenthe and eventually into the Lauwersmeer and the Wadden Sea. The Wadden Sea is an ecologically sensitive intertidal zone that supports diverse marine life, including seals, fish, and migratory birds. The plant's nutrient removal is critical to maintaining water quality in this dynamic coastal environment, where excess nitrogen and phosphorus can lead to algal blooms and habitat degradation.
Frequently asked questions
UWWTP Eelde is located in Eelde, in the province of Drenthe, Netherlands, near the city of Groningen.
The plant serves approximately 46,710 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The treated effluent is discharged into the Drentsche Aa river system, which flows into the Lauwersmeer and eventually the Wadden Sea.
As a Dutch plant, UWWTP Eelde operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations over 10,000 population equivalent discharging into freshwater.
Plants of this scale in the Netherlands typically use activated sludge systems with biological nutrient removal to meet strict national standards for nitrogen and phosphorus, protecting sensitive downstream waters like the Wadden Sea.
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