Hara avlopsanlegg - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Røldal, Norway

Hara avlopsanlegg is an advanced wastewater treatment facility located in Røldal, a village in Ullensvang municipality, Vestland county, Norway. The plant serves a population of approximately 870 residents, reflecting its role in a small rural community. Its location in the mountainous terrain of western Norway influences the local wastewater management approach. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 2100 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 377.30 m³/day, the facility operates well within its capacity. As a Norwegian plant, it complies with national regulations that implement the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires appropriate treatment levels based on the sensitivity of receiving waters. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Suldalslågen river system, eventually reaching the Suldalsvatnet lake and the Boknafjorden on Norway's southwestern coast. The advanced treatment helps protect the sensitive aquatic ecosystems of the region, including salmon-bearing rivers and fjord environments.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Suldalslågen river, which feeds Suldalsvatnet, a large lake, and ultimately reaches the Boknafjorden, a fjord on Norway's west coast. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including Atlantic salmon populations in the Suldalslågen. The advanced treatment level ensures minimal nutrient loading, protecting the fjord's ecological balance from eutrophication.