1. Wastewater Treatment and Nutrient Reduction
Ulrich Zeidler and Shelley Mc Millan
Regional Conference on Integrated Nutrient Reduction Management
in the Danube - Black Sea Basin
October 23-25, 2007, Ankara, Turkey

2. Session Overview and Context
Conventional wastewater treatment – and its contribution to nutrient reduction
Special Focus: Tertiary Treatment

3. Tertiary Wastewater Treatment in Europe
Wastewater treatment in all parts of Europe has improved significantly since the 1980s
In north-western Europe – a marked increase in the population connection to tertiary wastewater treatment in the 1990s resulting in significant reduction in phosphorus and nitrogen discharges (> 80%)
In central Europe – > 60% of population connected
In southern Europe and New Member Countries – still somewhat limited level of tertiary level wastewater treatment (< 50%)

4. Tertiary Wastewater Treatment in Europe
Development in North-Western Europe Countries

5. Challenges
Compliance to national and EU legislation (e.g. Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD).
Tertiary treatment obligatory for discharge into sensitive water bodies
For large cities > 150,000 inhabitants tertiary treatment is also obligatory for discharge into normal waters
Increase in the quantities of sewage sludge
Urban-to-rural continuum
Agriculture
Investment and O&M costs

6. Case Study – Hungary GEF Nutrient Reduction Project
Project Objectives:
Reduce Budapest’s discharge of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) into the Danube River, and consequently into the Black Sea;
Enhance the nutrient trapping capacity of Gemenc and Beda-Karapancsa wetlands situated in the lower Hungarian part of the Danube River; and
Serve as a model for similar nutrient reduction initiatives in Hungary and other Danube basin countries.
NOTE: Very interesting project with a unique opportunity to study and compare both approaches to nutrient reduction!

7. Thank you for your attention and the nice and clean water !!!