Overview
HERISAUSAUM is a secondary treatment plant serving 135 people in Herisau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland. It discharges 61.28 m³/day of treated wastewater into the local watershed.
HERISAUSAUM is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Herisau, a town in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland. The facility serves a small population of 135 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or peri-urban setting within the Swiss Alpine foothills. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment stage required under Swiss water protection regulations. With a designed capacity of 317 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 61.28 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating headroom for future growth or seasonal variations. Swiss wastewater treatment is governed by the Federal Water Protection Act (Gewässerschutzgesetz), which mandates advanced treatment for larger agglomerations but allows secondary treatment for smaller communities like Herisau. The treated effluent from HERISAUSAUM ultimately drains into the Glatt river system, which flows into the Rhine and then to the North Sea. The plant's location within 50 km of the coast (though inland) places it in a catchment that supports diverse aquatic life and contributes to the water quality of the Rhine basin, a major European waterway.
Environmental context
HERISAUSAUM discharges into the local tributaries of the Glatt river, which flows into the Rhine River and eventually reaches the North Sea. The Rhine basin is ecologically significant, supporting migratory fish species such as salmon and eel, and providing habitat for diverse freshwater organisms. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollution and nutrient loads, protecting downstream water quality in this sensitive Alpine-to-lowland transition zone.
Frequently asked questions
HERISAUSAUM is located in Herisau, in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland. The plant serves the local community in the Hinterland region.
The plant has a designed capacity of 317 m³ per day and currently discharges an average of 61.28 m³ per day, indicating it operates well below its maximum capacity.
The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that feed into the Glatt river, part of the Rhine basin, which ultimately flows to the North Sea.
Swiss wastewater treatment plants operate under the Federal Water Protection Act (Gewässerschutzgesetz), which sets standards for effluent quality and treatment levels based on the size and sensitivity of the receiving water body.
For small agglomerations like Herisau (135 people), secondary treatment is the standard requirement under Swiss regulations, ensuring effective removal of organic matter and suspended solids.
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