ERIZ LINDEN Wastewater Treatment Plant, Eriz, Bern, Switzerland

ERIZ LINDEN is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the village of Linden, part of the Eriz municipality in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. The plant serves a small population of 271 residents, reflecting the rural and alpine character of the area. It is situated in the canton of Bern, within the Verwaltungskreis Thun administrative district. The plant provides secondary biological treatment, which is the standard required under Swiss water protection law (Gewässerschutzgesetz) for small agglomerations. With a designed capacity of 633 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 123.01 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. Swiss regulations mandate that all wastewater treatment plants meet strict effluent standards to protect receiving waters. The treated effluent from ERIZ LINDEN ultimately drains into the local tributaries of the Aare River system, which flows through the Bernese Oberland into Lake Thun and then Lake Brienz, before joining the Rhine River and eventually the North Sea. This alpine watershed is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing drinking water for downstream communities.

The plant discharges into small streams in the Eriz valley, which feed into the Zulg River, a tributary of the Aare River. The Aare flows through Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, both important freshwater ecosystems in the Bernese Oberland. These waters support fish populations including brown trout and Arctic char, and the region is known for its high water quality standards. The ultimate destination is the Rhine River and the North Sea.