Implementation of the Urban Waste
Water Directive in Austria
Robert Fenz
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment
and Water Management
Hier steht ein thematisches Foto
Seite 1
19.03.2016
AUSTRIA – Background
IRB ELBE
IRB RHINE
IRB DANUBE
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
UWWT situation in Austria
•Catchment
area:
Danube (~96%), Rhein (~ 3%), Elbe (< 1%)
Black Sea (96 %), North Sea (4 %)
–
–
•8
million inhabitants
•86%
connected to sewer systems (state 2001)
•waste
Seite 3
water treatment design capacity (ODC):
20 million p.e. (population equivalents)
14.7 million p.e. actually treated
TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Legal basis of Austrian water management
EU Legislation - UWWT Directive 91/271
National legislation:
Water Act
General waste water ordinance
UWWT emission ordinance
Sector specific emission ordinances
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Administrative organization and
responsibilities
Federal Government
legal responsibility
Urban waste water
emission ordinance
9 Länder (Provinces) and 2359 municipalities
responsibility of implementation,
monitoring and surveillance
permits
Ordinances (sludge disposal)
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
UWWT situation in Austria
15,000
–
150,000
50
–
2,000
2,000
–
10,000
10,000
–
15,000
no. WWTP
845
397
44
187
22
1,495
% of WWTP
56.5
26.6
2.9
12.5
1.5
100.0
ODC
1,000 p.e.
419
1,858
572
7,694
9,541
20,084
% of p.e.
2.1
9.3
2.8
38.3
47.5
100.0
Class-size:
p.e.
>
150,000
total
20,084,000 p.e. design capacity (ODC);
14,674,853 p.e. actually treated in 2002
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Level of treatment
•
•
•
Requirements for waste water treatment
•
based on combined approach set out in Art. 10 WFD
•
strong emphasis on emission controls based on
best available techniques
Requirements for industrial effluents
•
several specific ordinances, permits
•
combination of internal and end of pipe measures
Requirements for urban waste water
•
Seite 7
secondary treatment with nitrification is in general
the basic requirement
TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
UWWTP Size classes and
emission limit values (mg/l)
Class-size:
p.e.
BOD5
COD
TOC
NH4-N
Ptot
Ntot
50 –
500
25
90
30
10
-
500 –
5,000
20
75
25
5
2
-
5,000 –
> 50,000
50,000
20
15
75
75
25
25
5
5
1
1
70 %
70 %
Article 5 (8) UWWTD
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Level of treatment
•
Nitrification
•
Reduction of oxygen demand
•
Danger of ammonia toxicity reduced
•
Reduction of pathogens (~103)
•
Removal of dangerous substances
•
P-removal important for lakes, partly small rivers to
prevent / reduce eutrophication
•
N- and P- removal important for Black Sea / North Sea
•
Cost-benefit ratio is considered to be good
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Eutrophication
•
Surface waters in Austria are generally P-limited
•
Criteria for risk assessment of rivers (under revision):
0,07 mg/l Ptot filtrated for salmonid waters
0,15 mg/l Ptot filtrated for cyprinid waters
•
Rivers: 13 % at risk in respect to biological or trophic
status due to Article 5 WFD analysis
•
Lakes > 0.5 km2 are in good ecological status
•
Article 5(8) of UWWTD since 2003 (P)
•
Black Sea and North Sea are N- and/or P-limited
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Biological Water Quality
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Eutrophication
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Activated sludge system
Also Sequencing Batch Reactors for smaller WWTPs
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Vienna WWTP
Different flow schemes for nutrient removal (from simple to
sophisticated depending on local situation)
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Vienna WWTP 4 million p.e.
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Dimensioning
•
Austrian and German guidelines are used for
dimensioning
•
Dimensioning of Single-Stage Activated Sludge Plants.
German Water Association (DWA) A-131, 2000
•
Standardisation and Derivation of Dimensioning Values for
Wastewater Facilities.
German Water Association (DWA) A-198, 2002
•
Construction and Testing of Drains and Sewers.
DWA A-139, 2002 on the basis of DIN EN 1610
•
Advisory Leaflets (ÖWAV, DWA)
•
Austrian standards (ON) for small WWTPs
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Investment costs
•
Investments for sewer systems and WWTPs
•
1959 -2004: ~ 33,000 billion €
•
up to 2015:
~ 6,000 billion €
•
average yearly investments in Austria: 100 €/inhabitant
•
~ 0.5 % of the Gross Domestic Product
•
investments costs per connected inhabitant: ~ 6,000 €
•
yearly costs per connected inhabitant: ~ 150 - 200 €
•
average fee: 1-3 €/m3
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Subsidy system for implementation
•
State loan system (1959 -1993)
•
•
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long-term soft loans granted to municipalities by
federal water fund (1-3 % interest rate; 30-50 years)
Subsidized loan-repayment system (since 1993)
•
loans on the free capital market
•
subsidy conditions set by the ministry, private credit
institute handles the subsidy-projects
•
subsidy rate between 8 (20) and 50 %.
TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Monitoring methods and frequencies
Sampling method:
predominantly time-based samples (24 hours) but also
flow proportional
•
Allowed failures:
– according to the number of samples (Annex I, table 3)
– no value more than 100% > limit value
•
Frequencies (surveillance):
1, 6, 12, 12 and more
(according to size classes)
•
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Self-monitoring frequencies
Class-size:
p.e.
BOD5
COD
TOC
NH4-N
Ptot
Ntot
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50 –
500
6
12
52
-
500 –
5,000
12
26
104
52
52
5,000 –
> 50,000
50,000
52
104
104
260
26
52
156
365
104
260
104
260
TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Monitoring performance
Self-monitoring:
Municipality/water associations
(At the plant and/or in laboratories)
Surveillance-monitoring:
Länder (Provinces), local water surveillance
(by public or certificated private laboratories)
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Reporting system until 2000
Data flow from:
uwwt plants, industries, population
To: regional authorities, provinces,
ministry or statistical office
For: national and internat. Statistics
national and international reports
Statistical office: every 10 years
Ministry:
a) every 3 years
b) according to EU reporting obligations,
ad hoc specific requests
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
New Austrian reporting system
UWWTD
Ministry
Other national
bodies
WFD
reports/electronic
data exchange
Other
Directives
National
UWWT-DB
electronic data
exchange
Other
Reporting
Regional
authorities
UWWTP
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Other int.
Rep.
(EEA,...)
Industries
TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Data management
Seite 24
•
Information about:
• Individual plants
• Loads and emission concentrations
• (Permits)
• Industrial point sources
• Spatial information (GIS)
• Historical data
• Connection degree (often missing)
•
•
Evaluation carried out by FEA/Ministry/Provinces
Evaluation tool integrated in data base
TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Rural areas –
small treatment plants / individual systems
•
~1 million people (14 % of population) not connected to
sewer systems, out of these:
• 65 % cess pits (number of pits is decreasing)
• 35 % small treatment plants
• conventional biological treatment plants
• constructed wetlands
• septic tanks
•
“Alternatives”:
•
waste water disposal on farm land?
•
infiltration of treated waste water?
•
Further public funding required for socially acceptable costs
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Constructed wetlands
Extensive Wastewater Treatment Processes 500 – 5,000 p.e.
Guide, Commission, 2001
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Rural areas –
small treatment plants / individual systems
•
•
•
Seite 27
Small WWTPs became much cheaper in the last years
Constructed wetlands: usually vertical filter with intermittent
feed (nitrification)
Discussions on infiltration of treated waste water:
•
hygienic problems (risk based assessment – further
research required)
•
oxygen
•
conservative compounds
TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005
Thank you for your attention
robert.fenz@lebensministerium.at
http://www.lebensministerium.at
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TAIEX seminar, Larnaca, Cyprus
Robert Fenz; 24. Nov. 2005