TEUFFENTAL Wastewater Treatment Plant, Teuffenthal (BE), Bern, Switzerland

TEUFFENTAL is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Teuffenthal (BE), within the canton of Bern, Switzerland. Serving a population of approximately 120 people, the plant is classified as a small-scale facility typical of alpine communities in the region. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment level required under Swiss water protection regulations. With a designed capacity of 165 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 54.47 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating adequate headroom for current and future loads. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Aare River basin, a major tributary of the Rhine. The Rhine flows through Germany and the Netherlands before reaching the North Sea. The plant's operation helps protect the sensitive alpine freshwater ecosystems and downstream water quality in the Rhine watershed.

The plant discharges into small mountain streams that feed into the Aare River, which flows through Bern and joins the Rhine near the German border. The Rhine then travels through Germany and the Netherlands to the North Sea. The surrounding region features ecologically sensitive alpine streams that support diverse aquatic life, including brown trout and other cold-water species. Proper treatment is essential to prevent nutrient enrichment and maintain water quality in these oligotrophic systems.