Eikeviken Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bergen, Norway - Secondary Treatment, Coastal Discharge

Eikeviken is a wastewater treatment plant located in the Ytre Sandviken district of Bergen, Vestland, Norway. Serving a population of 556, the plant is part of the municipal wastewater infrastructure for the Bergen area, a coastal city on the North Sea. The facility is situated within 10 km of the coast, reflecting its proximity to marine waters. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for smaller agglomerations. With a designed capacity of 1,200 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 241.13 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity. Norway, as an EEA member, aligns with EU directives, ensuring that treatment levels meet environmental protection standards for coastal discharges. The treated effluent from Eikeviken is discharged into the coastal waters of the North Sea, which supports diverse marine life and is an important fishing and ecological area. The plant's location in a densely populated urban area near the coast necessitates careful management to protect the marine environment from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.

Eikeviken discharges treated wastewater into the North Sea via the coastal waters of the Bergen region. The North Sea is a productive marine ecosystem supporting fisheries and migratory species. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic load and suspended solids, but nutrient removal may be limited, which is relevant given the sensitivity of coastal waters to eutrophication. The local watershed includes urban runoff from Bergen, and the plant plays a role in maintaining water quality in the Byfjorden area.