Safiental Tenna Wastewater Treatment Plant - Safiental, Graubünden, Switzerland

Safiental Tenna is a wastewater treatment plant located in the village of Tenna, part of the Safiental municipality in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. The plant serves a small population of 123 residents, reflecting the rural and alpine character of the region. It operates as a secondary treatment facility, meeting Swiss federal standards for wastewater treatment in small agglomerations. The plant has a designed capacity of 288 cubic meters per day and currently discharges an average volume of 55.83 cubic meters per day. As a secondary treatment plant, it employs biological processes to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids. Swiss regulations, aligned with the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, require secondary treatment for inland plants serving populations under 10,000, which this facility fulfills. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Rhine River basin, ultimately reaching the North Sea. The plant plays a crucial role in protecting the pristine alpine environment of the Safiental valley, preserving water quality for downstream ecosystems and communities.

The plant discharges into small streams within the Safiental valley, which flow into the Vorderrhein (Anterior Rhine) and then into the Rhine River. The Rhine ultimately drains into the North Sea. The alpine watershed is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a critical habitat for species adapted to cold, oxygen-rich waters. The plant's secondary treatment helps maintain water quality in this fragile mountain ecosystem.