Waste water treatment plant

The waste water treatment plant Steinhof is the property of the Abwasserverband Braunschweig and is operationally managed by the Stadtentwässerung Braunschweig (Braunschweig waste water services). In this modern plant, waste water from the city of Braunschweig and a number of boroughs covered by the Gifhorn water board is laboriously treated.

The purification process is initially mechanical, then biological. Through the purification of the wastewater, sludge is produced, which is then used to produce a gas containing methane (digester gas). This digester gas is directed into the Association’s power station.
One third of the purified water flows into the infiltration fields. Two thirds of the purified water, mixed with digested sewage sludge, are used as fertiliser on agricultural areas.

The distinctive feature of the treatment plant Steinhof is that through the additional purification of the water, the capacity of the agricultural areas and the infiltration fields is sufficient in order to purify this large amount of waste watergen.
Furthermore, the treatment plant is able to cover its own electricity and heating consumption through the generation of digester gas and its own power station.

Overview of the facts:

  • Year of construction: 1979
  • Extensions: 1986, 1991, 2001, 2004/2005
  • Capacity: 275,000 population equivalents (PE), actually utilised with approx. 350,000 PE
  • Annual waste water quantity: approx. 20 million m³

Further information can be found at www.stadtentwaesserung-braunschweig.de