Bayreuther Str. 105, Erlangen
Bayreuther Str. 105, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant | Functionality & Structure
The Erlangen wastewater treatment plant at Bayreuther Straße 105 is one of the most important technical facilities in the city and a central component of municipal public services. The wastewater management of the city of Erlangen collects the wastewater generated there, cleans it at the treatment plant, recycles the resulting sludge, and simultaneously operates the necessary sewage system. The facility is designed for up to 350,000 population equivalents and cleans approximately 35,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily. Thus, it is relevant not only for Erlangen itself but for a much larger catchment area that includes the city, surrounding areas, businesses, hospitals, and educational institutions. Therefore, those looking for a wastewater treatment plant nearby will find not a venue for events, but a highly developed piece of municipal infrastructure that combines clean technology, energy generation, and water protection. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/themenseite/informationsservice/eigenbetriebe/ebe?utm_source=openai))
Functionality of the Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant
The functionality of the Erlangen wastewater treatment plant follows the classic triad of wastewater treatment but has been technically further developed over the years and converted to a single-stage biological operation. First, the incoming wastewater is treated mechanically: inflow lifting station, step screens, sand traps, and pre-settling tanks remove coarse materials, sand, and settleable substances. Subsequently, biological treatment takes over with aeration tanks, nitrification, pre-denitrification, and post-clarification. The city also describes a phosphate precipitation in the inflow of post-clarification and, if necessary, in the filter building. This replicates the natural self-purification processes of water bodies in controlled reaction spaces and is technically stabilized. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
Particularly interesting is that the facility is designed not only for cleaning but also for disturbance resilience and process control. The treatment plant has flood pumping stations that ensure operation during elevated water levels, as well as a process control system that collects, processes, archives, and documents data and reports on operational states. This is complemented by laboratory, service, and operational buildings that secure ongoing operations. The separate treatment of wastewater generated during sludge treatment is also part of the facility's functionality. This shows that the Erlangen wastewater treatment plant is not just a cleaning unit but a precisely controlled overall system in which mechanical, biological, chemical, and digital components interact. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
Structure and Facility Areas at Bayreuther Straße 105
The site at Bayreuther Straße 105 encompasses significantly more than individual basins. The municipal documents list central structures including basins of varying depths and layouts, connecting pipes and channels, operational buildings for lifting and screening systems, the gas facility with a combined heat and power plant, digesters, sludge dewatering and drying facilities, wastewater filtration, reclaimed water treatment, as well as operational halls, garages, service, and laboratory buildings. Additionally, there are pumping stations that maintain the sludge flows between the various treatment stages and support safe operation during floods. The site is thus an industrially shaped, highly functional workplace whose structure is precisely tailored to the requirements of a large municipal wastewater facility. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
For practical orientation, it is important to note: The treatment plant is located on the northern edge of the city of Erlangen and borders residential areas of the municipality of Bubenreuth to the east, beyond the A73 and state road 2244. The official address is Bayreuther Straße 105, 91054 Erlangen. From an SEO perspective, this is particularly relevant for search queries like wastewater treatment plant nearby or Erlangen treatment plant, as the location is clearly defined and municipally assigned. The wastewater management of the city of Erlangen operates at two locations: The management, administration, and treatment plant construction are located at Werner-von-Siemens-Straße 61, while the treatment plant, sewer operation, and maintenance are situated at Bayreuther Straße 105. This ensures a clear separation of operational work between administration and facility. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
Catchment Area, Connection, and Regional Importance
The Erlangen wastewater treatment plant is designed for a large catchment area. The municipal sewer network in the city area comprises approximately 411 kilometers with 9,737 shafts, 40 relief structures of various types, and 22 pumping stations. The wastewater collection system predominantly operates in a combined system, meaning that rainwater and wastewater are discharged together. Only in certain areas such as the Sebaldus settlement and parts of Bruck, Eltersdorf, Büchenbach, and Frauenaurach are there separate systems. Modified combined systems in development areas such as Büchenbach West and Kriegenbrunn are also described. This illustrates how closely the treatment at the treatment plant is linked to the structure of the entire city and surrounding network. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
The capacity of the treatment plant is not solely focused on Erlangen itself. The official catchment area extends from Eckenhaid in the east to Sintmann in the west and from Kleinseebach in the north to Hüttendorf in the south. Connected are municipalities such as Bubenreuth, Buckenhof, and Möhrendorf, as well as the wastewater associations Schwabachtal and Seebachgrund. By the end of 2023, a total of over 270,000 population equivalents were claimed, of which just over 119,000 were in Erlangen and more than 56,000 in the surrounding area; additionally, around 95,000 population equivalents from commercial dischargers. Among the largest commercial dischargers are the hospitals and facilities of Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg. These figures demonstrate why the treatment plant plays a key role not only locally but also regionally. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
History from Start in 1957 to Reconstruction in the 21st Century
The history of the Erlangen wastewater treatment plant begins at a time when wastewater treatment had not yet reached today's standards. Until the early 1950s, a large portion of the wastewater was still discharged untreated into the Regnitz despite an expanded sewer network. It was not until 1957 that the Erlangen central treatment plant began operations at its current location. The initial expansion size was 60,000 population equivalents. Between 1963 and 1978, the first expansion became necessary, including a second biological treatment stage, an additional digester, two trickling filters, and sludge dewatering. This early development shows how strongly the city had to respond to a growing population and increasing infrastructure needs. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
A fundamental new beginning took place from 2003: The treatment plant was redesigned during ongoing operations and converted into a single-stage biological facility using the activated sludge process. Trickling filters were demolished, new basins were constructed, and existing basins were converted into nitrification and denitrification basins. This measure was successfully completed in 2008. By 2014, the new construction of mechanical treatment and the renovation and reconstruction of digestion followed. From 2013, the energy and water law expansion concept 2030 began, which considers cleaning performance and energy optimization together. The developments of the last decades thus show a clear shift from a classic treatment plant to a highly modern, continuously optimized environmental facility. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
Energy, Biogas, and Sustainable Sludge Treatment
Wastewater treatment plants are among the largest municipal energy consumers, and for this reason, Erlangen has been strongly focusing on self-generated energy and efficiency for years. Approximately 2.4 million cubic meters of biogas are produced annually from the digesters of the treatment plant, which consists of about 60 percent methane. This gas is utilized in a combined heat and power plant, where three gas engines with a nominal output of 600 kilowatts each generate around 5.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. Additionally, the heat generated is transferred via heat exchangers to heat consumers in the treatment plant, such as the digesters or hot water preparation. The official brochure describes the treatment plant as energy-conscious and shows how wastewater treatment and energy generation are brought together here. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
Energy efficiency has been systematically increased in recent years. The city mentions, among other things, the commissioning of photovoltaic systems, energy-efficient agitators, improved control of blower motors, larger biogas storage, energy optimization of process control, new gas engines for the CHP plant, as well as the ongoing replacement of lighting with LED fixtures and the conversion of the vehicle fleet to electric cars. Particularly important is the new regenerative sludge drying: Since 2023, a belt dryer has been operating that brings the sludge to over 90 percent solid content and reduces the amount to be disposed of by 70 percent. According to the brochure, this facility operates completely CO2-neutral and saves around 18,000 tons of CO2 equivalents annually together with the regenerative energy. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
Sludge, Phosphorus Recovery, and 4th Treatment Stage
A major focus of the current expansion is sludge treatment. The background is the changed legal situation regarding the disposal and recovery of sludge, as well as the desire to recover valuable materials. In Erlangen, a regenerative sludge drying facility was put into operation in 2023; additionally, a facility for phosphorus recovery was started, where struvite is formed through hydrolysis of the digested sludge and the so-called MAP process. Struvite can be used as a long-term fertilizer. The city also explains that phosphorus is a finite raw material and that losses should be avoided. For a municipal operation, this is more than just technology: it is a building block for resource conservation, circular economy, and supply security. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
The next major step is the 4th treatment stage for trace substance elimination. The city of Erlangen describes that the previous wastewater treatment leaves trace substances from pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and certain industrial and household chemicals almost completely in the treated wastewater. Therefore, an additional treatment with ozone and activated carbon is planned, with an existing filtration facility being remodeled and expanded. This project is part of the expansion concept 2030, has been underway since 2020, and was last confirmed by the construction and works committee on April 9, 2024. For selected indicator trace substances, an average elimination rate of at least 80 percent is planned on dry weather days. This responds to one of the most important environmental questions of modern wastewater treatment: How can even the smallest amounts of substances be effectively removed from the water cycle? ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/mitgestalten/38113910))
The future of the site is not solely reduced to cleaning performance but aims for a stable balance between environmental impact, energy balance, and economic efficiency. For the 4th treatment stage, additional photovoltaic systems and further biogas storage are to be used to ensure that operations remain energy-neutral. The current planning documents mention costs of around 36 million euros for the new construction of ozonation, remodeling of the wastewater filter, and PV systems; up to 15 million euros in state allocations have been promised. The planned completion date is set for 2027. For Erlangen, this means: The facility continues to develop without losing sight of its fundamental function. It remains a highly complex, regional infrastructure for clean water, resource protection, and technical innovation. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/mitgestalten/38113910))
Sources:
- EBE - Wastewater Management of the City of Erlangen
- Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant - Together for Clean Water
- Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant - Expansion Concept 2030: Trace Substance Elimination (4th Treatment Stage)
- Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant - New Construction of 4th Treatment Stage
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Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant | Functionality & Structure
The Erlangen wastewater treatment plant at Bayreuther Straße 105 is one of the most important technical facilities in the city and a central component of municipal public services. The wastewater management of the city of Erlangen collects the wastewater generated there, cleans it at the treatment plant, recycles the resulting sludge, and simultaneously operates the necessary sewage system. The facility is designed for up to 350,000 population equivalents and cleans approximately 35,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily. Thus, it is relevant not only for Erlangen itself but for a much larger catchment area that includes the city, surrounding areas, businesses, hospitals, and educational institutions. Therefore, those looking for a wastewater treatment plant nearby will find not a venue for events, but a highly developed piece of municipal infrastructure that combines clean technology, energy generation, and water protection. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/themenseite/informationsservice/eigenbetriebe/ebe?utm_source=openai))
Functionality of the Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant
The functionality of the Erlangen wastewater treatment plant follows the classic triad of wastewater treatment but has been technically further developed over the years and converted to a single-stage biological operation. First, the incoming wastewater is treated mechanically: inflow lifting station, step screens, sand traps, and pre-settling tanks remove coarse materials, sand, and settleable substances. Subsequently, biological treatment takes over with aeration tanks, nitrification, pre-denitrification, and post-clarification. The city also describes a phosphate precipitation in the inflow of post-clarification and, if necessary, in the filter building. This replicates the natural self-purification processes of water bodies in controlled reaction spaces and is technically stabilized. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
Particularly interesting is that the facility is designed not only for cleaning but also for disturbance resilience and process control. The treatment plant has flood pumping stations that ensure operation during elevated water levels, as well as a process control system that collects, processes, archives, and documents data and reports on operational states. This is complemented by laboratory, service, and operational buildings that secure ongoing operations. The separate treatment of wastewater generated during sludge treatment is also part of the facility's functionality. This shows that the Erlangen wastewater treatment plant is not just a cleaning unit but a precisely controlled overall system in which mechanical, biological, chemical, and digital components interact. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
Structure and Facility Areas at Bayreuther Straße 105
The site at Bayreuther Straße 105 encompasses significantly more than individual basins. The municipal documents list central structures including basins of varying depths and layouts, connecting pipes and channels, operational buildings for lifting and screening systems, the gas facility with a combined heat and power plant, digesters, sludge dewatering and drying facilities, wastewater filtration, reclaimed water treatment, as well as operational halls, garages, service, and laboratory buildings. Additionally, there are pumping stations that maintain the sludge flows between the various treatment stages and support safe operation during floods. The site is thus an industrially shaped, highly functional workplace whose structure is precisely tailored to the requirements of a large municipal wastewater facility. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
For practical orientation, it is important to note: The treatment plant is located on the northern edge of the city of Erlangen and borders residential areas of the municipality of Bubenreuth to the east, beyond the A73 and state road 2244. The official address is Bayreuther Straße 105, 91054 Erlangen. From an SEO perspective, this is particularly relevant for search queries like wastewater treatment plant nearby or Erlangen treatment plant, as the location is clearly defined and municipally assigned. The wastewater management of the city of Erlangen operates at two locations: The management, administration, and treatment plant construction are located at Werner-von-Siemens-Straße 61, while the treatment plant, sewer operation, and maintenance are situated at Bayreuther Straße 105. This ensures a clear separation of operational work between administration and facility. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
Catchment Area, Connection, and Regional Importance
The Erlangen wastewater treatment plant is designed for a large catchment area. The municipal sewer network in the city area comprises approximately 411 kilometers with 9,737 shafts, 40 relief structures of various types, and 22 pumping stations. The wastewater collection system predominantly operates in a combined system, meaning that rainwater and wastewater are discharged together. Only in certain areas such as the Sebaldus settlement and parts of Bruck, Eltersdorf, Büchenbach, and Frauenaurach are there separate systems. Modified combined systems in development areas such as Büchenbach West and Kriegenbrunn are also described. This illustrates how closely the treatment at the treatment plant is linked to the structure of the entire city and surrounding network. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
The capacity of the treatment plant is not solely focused on Erlangen itself. The official catchment area extends from Eckenhaid in the east to Sintmann in the west and from Kleinseebach in the north to Hüttendorf in the south. Connected are municipalities such as Bubenreuth, Buckenhof, and Möhrendorf, as well as the wastewater associations Schwabachtal and Seebachgrund. By the end of 2023, a total of over 270,000 population equivalents were claimed, of which just over 119,000 were in Erlangen and more than 56,000 in the surrounding area; additionally, around 95,000 population equivalents from commercial dischargers. Among the largest commercial dischargers are the hospitals and facilities of Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg. These figures demonstrate why the treatment plant plays a key role not only locally but also regionally. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
History from Start in 1957 to Reconstruction in the 21st Century
The history of the Erlangen wastewater treatment plant begins at a time when wastewater treatment had not yet reached today's standards. Until the early 1950s, a large portion of the wastewater was still discharged untreated into the Regnitz despite an expanded sewer network. It was not until 1957 that the Erlangen central treatment plant began operations at its current location. The initial expansion size was 60,000 population equivalents. Between 1963 and 1978, the first expansion became necessary, including a second biological treatment stage, an additional digester, two trickling filters, and sludge dewatering. This early development shows how strongly the city had to respond to a growing population and increasing infrastructure needs. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
A fundamental new beginning took place from 2003: The treatment plant was redesigned during ongoing operations and converted into a single-stage biological facility using the activated sludge process. Trickling filters were demolished, new basins were constructed, and existing basins were converted into nitrification and denitrification basins. This measure was successfully completed in 2008. By 2014, the new construction of mechanical treatment and the renovation and reconstruction of digestion followed. From 2013, the energy and water law expansion concept 2030 began, which considers cleaning performance and energy optimization together. The developments of the last decades thus show a clear shift from a classic treatment plant to a highly modern, continuously optimized environmental facility. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
Energy, Biogas, and Sustainable Sludge Treatment
Wastewater treatment plants are among the largest municipal energy consumers, and for this reason, Erlangen has been strongly focusing on self-generated energy and efficiency for years. Approximately 2.4 million cubic meters of biogas are produced annually from the digesters of the treatment plant, which consists of about 60 percent methane. This gas is utilized in a combined heat and power plant, where three gas engines with a nominal output of 600 kilowatts each generate around 5.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. Additionally, the heat generated is transferred via heat exchangers to heat consumers in the treatment plant, such as the digesters or hot water preparation. The official brochure describes the treatment plant as energy-conscious and shows how wastewater treatment and energy generation are brought together here. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
Energy efficiency has been systematically increased in recent years. The city mentions, among other things, the commissioning of photovoltaic systems, energy-efficient agitators, improved control of blower motors, larger biogas storage, energy optimization of process control, new gas engines for the CHP plant, as well as the ongoing replacement of lighting with LED fixtures and the conversion of the vehicle fleet to electric cars. Particularly important is the new regenerative sludge drying: Since 2023, a belt dryer has been operating that brings the sludge to over 90 percent solid content and reduces the amount to be disposed of by 70 percent. According to the brochure, this facility operates completely CO2-neutral and saves around 18,000 tons of CO2 equivalents annually together with the regenerative energy. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
Sludge, Phosphorus Recovery, and 4th Treatment Stage
A major focus of the current expansion is sludge treatment. The background is the changed legal situation regarding the disposal and recovery of sludge, as well as the desire to recover valuable materials. In Erlangen, a regenerative sludge drying facility was put into operation in 2023; additionally, a facility for phosphorus recovery was started, where struvite is formed through hydrolysis of the digested sludge and the so-called MAP process. Struvite can be used as a long-term fertilizer. The city also explains that phosphorus is a finite raw material and that losses should be avoided. For a municipal operation, this is more than just technology: it is a building block for resource conservation, circular economy, and supply security. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
The next major step is the 4th treatment stage for trace substance elimination. The city of Erlangen describes that the previous wastewater treatment leaves trace substances from pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and certain industrial and household chemicals almost completely in the treated wastewater. Therefore, an additional treatment with ozone and activated carbon is planned, with an existing filtration facility being remodeled and expanded. This project is part of the expansion concept 2030, has been underway since 2020, and was last confirmed by the construction and works committee on April 9, 2024. For selected indicator trace substances, an average elimination rate of at least 80 percent is planned on dry weather days. This responds to one of the most important environmental questions of modern wastewater treatment: How can even the smallest amounts of substances be effectively removed from the water cycle? ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/mitgestalten/38113910))
The future of the site is not solely reduced to cleaning performance but aims for a stable balance between environmental impact, energy balance, and economic efficiency. For the 4th treatment stage, additional photovoltaic systems and further biogas storage are to be used to ensure that operations remain energy-neutral. The current planning documents mention costs of around 36 million euros for the new construction of ozonation, remodeling of the wastewater filter, and PV systems; up to 15 million euros in state allocations have been promised. The planned completion date is set for 2027. For Erlangen, this means: The facility continues to develop without losing sight of its fundamental function. It remains a highly complex, regional infrastructure for clean water, resource protection, and technical innovation. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/mitgestalten/38113910))
Sources:
- EBE - Wastewater Management of the City of Erlangen
- Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant - Together for Clean Water
- Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant - Expansion Concept 2030: Trace Substance Elimination (4th Treatment Stage)
- Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant - New Construction of 4th Treatment Stage
Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant | Functionality & Structure
The Erlangen wastewater treatment plant at Bayreuther Straße 105 is one of the most important technical facilities in the city and a central component of municipal public services. The wastewater management of the city of Erlangen collects the wastewater generated there, cleans it at the treatment plant, recycles the resulting sludge, and simultaneously operates the necessary sewage system. The facility is designed for up to 350,000 population equivalents and cleans approximately 35,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily. Thus, it is relevant not only for Erlangen itself but for a much larger catchment area that includes the city, surrounding areas, businesses, hospitals, and educational institutions. Therefore, those looking for a wastewater treatment plant nearby will find not a venue for events, but a highly developed piece of municipal infrastructure that combines clean technology, energy generation, and water protection. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/themenseite/informationsservice/eigenbetriebe/ebe?utm_source=openai))
Functionality of the Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant
The functionality of the Erlangen wastewater treatment plant follows the classic triad of wastewater treatment but has been technically further developed over the years and converted to a single-stage biological operation. First, the incoming wastewater is treated mechanically: inflow lifting station, step screens, sand traps, and pre-settling tanks remove coarse materials, sand, and settleable substances. Subsequently, biological treatment takes over with aeration tanks, nitrification, pre-denitrification, and post-clarification. The city also describes a phosphate precipitation in the inflow of post-clarification and, if necessary, in the filter building. This replicates the natural self-purification processes of water bodies in controlled reaction spaces and is technically stabilized. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
Particularly interesting is that the facility is designed not only for cleaning but also for disturbance resilience and process control. The treatment plant has flood pumping stations that ensure operation during elevated water levels, as well as a process control system that collects, processes, archives, and documents data and reports on operational states. This is complemented by laboratory, service, and operational buildings that secure ongoing operations. The separate treatment of wastewater generated during sludge treatment is also part of the facility's functionality. This shows that the Erlangen wastewater treatment plant is not just a cleaning unit but a precisely controlled overall system in which mechanical, biological, chemical, and digital components interact. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
Structure and Facility Areas at Bayreuther Straße 105
The site at Bayreuther Straße 105 encompasses significantly more than individual basins. The municipal documents list central structures including basins of varying depths and layouts, connecting pipes and channels, operational buildings for lifting and screening systems, the gas facility with a combined heat and power plant, digesters, sludge dewatering and drying facilities, wastewater filtration, reclaimed water treatment, as well as operational halls, garages, service, and laboratory buildings. Additionally, there are pumping stations that maintain the sludge flows between the various treatment stages and support safe operation during floods. The site is thus an industrially shaped, highly functional workplace whose structure is precisely tailored to the requirements of a large municipal wastewater facility. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
For practical orientation, it is important to note: The treatment plant is located on the northern edge of the city of Erlangen and borders residential areas of the municipality of Bubenreuth to the east, beyond the A73 and state road 2244. The official address is Bayreuther Straße 105, 91054 Erlangen. From an SEO perspective, this is particularly relevant for search queries like wastewater treatment plant nearby or Erlangen treatment plant, as the location is clearly defined and municipally assigned. The wastewater management of the city of Erlangen operates at two locations: The management, administration, and treatment plant construction are located at Werner-von-Siemens-Straße 61, while the treatment plant, sewer operation, and maintenance are situated at Bayreuther Straße 105. This ensures a clear separation of operational work between administration and facility. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
Catchment Area, Connection, and Regional Importance
The Erlangen wastewater treatment plant is designed for a large catchment area. The municipal sewer network in the city area comprises approximately 411 kilometers with 9,737 shafts, 40 relief structures of various types, and 22 pumping stations. The wastewater collection system predominantly operates in a combined system, meaning that rainwater and wastewater are discharged together. Only in certain areas such as the Sebaldus settlement and parts of Bruck, Eltersdorf, Büchenbach, and Frauenaurach are there separate systems. Modified combined systems in development areas such as Büchenbach West and Kriegenbrunn are also described. This illustrates how closely the treatment at the treatment plant is linked to the structure of the entire city and surrounding network. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/umweltgemeinwohlbericht.pdf))
The capacity of the treatment plant is not solely focused on Erlangen itself. The official catchment area extends from Eckenhaid in the east to Sintmann in the west and from Kleinseebach in the north to Hüttendorf in the south. Connected are municipalities such as Bubenreuth, Buckenhof, and Möhrendorf, as well as the wastewater associations Schwabachtal and Seebachgrund. By the end of 2023, a total of over 270,000 population equivalents were claimed, of which just over 119,000 were in Erlangen and more than 56,000 in the surrounding area; additionally, around 95,000 population equivalents from commercial dischargers. Among the largest commercial dischargers are the hospitals and facilities of Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg. These figures demonstrate why the treatment plant plays a key role not only locally but also regionally. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
History from Start in 1957 to Reconstruction in the 21st Century
The history of the Erlangen wastewater treatment plant begins at a time when wastewater treatment had not yet reached today's standards. Until the early 1950s, a large portion of the wastewater was still discharged untreated into the Regnitz despite an expanded sewer network. It was not until 1957 that the Erlangen central treatment plant began operations at its current location. The initial expansion size was 60,000 population equivalents. Between 1963 and 1978, the first expansion became necessary, including a second biological treatment stage, an additional digester, two trickling filters, and sludge dewatering. This early development shows how strongly the city had to respond to a growing population and increasing infrastructure needs. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
A fundamental new beginning took place from 2003: The treatment plant was redesigned during ongoing operations and converted into a single-stage biological facility using the activated sludge process. Trickling filters were demolished, new basins were constructed, and existing basins were converted into nitrification and denitrification basins. This measure was successfully completed in 2008. By 2014, the new construction of mechanical treatment and the renovation and reconstruction of digestion followed. From 2013, the energy and water law expansion concept 2030 began, which considers cleaning performance and energy optimization together. The developments of the last decades thus show a clear shift from a classic treatment plant to a highly modern, continuously optimized environmental facility. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
Energy, Biogas, and Sustainable Sludge Treatment
Wastewater treatment plants are among the largest municipal energy consumers, and for this reason, Erlangen has been strongly focusing on self-generated energy and efficiency for years. Approximately 2.4 million cubic meters of biogas are produced annually from the digesters of the treatment plant, which consists of about 60 percent methane. This gas is utilized in a combined heat and power plant, where three gas engines with a nominal output of 600 kilowatts each generate around 5.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. Additionally, the heat generated is transferred via heat exchangers to heat consumers in the treatment plant, such as the digesters or hot water preparation. The official brochure describes the treatment plant as energy-conscious and shows how wastewater treatment and energy generation are brought together here. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
Energy efficiency has been systematically increased in recent years. The city mentions, among other things, the commissioning of photovoltaic systems, energy-efficient agitators, improved control of blower motors, larger biogas storage, energy optimization of process control, new gas engines for the CHP plant, as well as the ongoing replacement of lighting with LED fixtures and the conversion of the vehicle fleet to electric cars. Particularly important is the new regenerative sludge drying: Since 2023, a belt dryer has been operating that brings the sludge to over 90 percent solid content and reduces the amount to be disposed of by 70 percent. According to the brochure, this facility operates completely CO2-neutral and saves around 18,000 tons of CO2 equivalents annually together with the regenerative energy. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
Sludge, Phosphorus Recovery, and 4th Treatment Stage
A major focus of the current expansion is sludge treatment. The background is the changed legal situation regarding the disposal and recovery of sludge, as well as the desire to recover valuable materials. In Erlangen, a regenerative sludge drying facility was put into operation in 2023; additionally, a facility for phosphorus recovery was started, where struvite is formed through hydrolysis of the digested sludge and the so-called MAP process. Struvite can be used as a long-term fertilizer. The city also explains that phosphorus is a finite raw material and that losses should be avoided. For a municipal operation, this is more than just technology: it is a building block for resource conservation, circular economy, and supply security. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Eigenbetriebe/EBE/klaerwerk_erlangen_broschuere.pdf))
The next major step is the 4th treatment stage for trace substance elimination. The city of Erlangen describes that the previous wastewater treatment leaves trace substances from pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and certain industrial and household chemicals almost completely in the treated wastewater. Therefore, an additional treatment with ozone and activated carbon is planned, with an existing filtration facility being remodeled and expanded. This project is part of the expansion concept 2030, has been underway since 2020, and was last confirmed by the construction and works committee on April 9, 2024. For selected indicator trace substances, an average elimination rate of at least 80 percent is planned on dry weather days. This responds to one of the most important environmental questions of modern wastewater treatment: How can even the smallest amounts of substances be effectively removed from the water cycle? ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/mitgestalten/38113910))
The future of the site is not solely reduced to cleaning performance but aims for a stable balance between environmental impact, energy balance, and economic efficiency. For the 4th treatment stage, additional photovoltaic systems and further biogas storage are to be used to ensure that operations remain energy-neutral. The current planning documents mention costs of around 36 million euros for the new construction of ozonation, remodeling of the wastewater filter, and PV systems; up to 15 million euros in state allocations have been promised. The planned completion date is set for 2027. For Erlangen, this means: The facility continues to develop without losing sight of its fundamental function. It remains a highly complex, regional infrastructure for clean water, resource protection, and technical innovation. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/mitgestalten/38113910))
Sources:
- EBE - Wastewater Management of the City of Erlangen
- Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant - Together for Clean Water
- Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant - Expansion Concept 2030: Trace Substance Elimination (4th Treatment Stage)
- Erlangen Wastewater Treatment Plant - New Construction of 4th Treatment Stage
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