Construction, Extension and Operation of Waste Water Collection and Treatment
Construction and operation of wastewater collection and treatment systems that meet or exceed Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive requirements with optimised energy performance.
Substantial Contribution to Climate Change Mitigation
The wastewater treatment plant must achieve an energy consumption at or below 35 kWh per population equivalent per year for plants above 10,000 p.e., or demonstrate at least a 20% improvement in energy efficiency compared to the prior baseline. Energy recovery from the treatment process (biogas from anaerobic sludge digestion) must be maximised, with recovered energy covering at least 50% of the plant's total energy demand where technically feasible.
Direct GHG emissions from the treatment process, including methane and nitrous oxide, must be monitored and minimised through process optimisation. Where the plant serves more than 100,000 p.e., a carbon footprint assessment covering Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions must be completed.
Substantial Contribution to Climate Change Adaptation
The infrastructure must be assessed for physical climate risks under Appendix A, covering increased stormwater loads, flood exposure, temperature effects on biological treatment processes, and sea level rise for coastal installations.
DNSH: Climate Change Adaptation
Climate hazards must be assessed per Appendix A. The design must incorporate overflow management, flood protection for critical electrical equipment, and thermal resilience for biological treatment stages.
DNSH: Water and Marine Resources
Effluent quality must meet or exceed the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), including nutrient removal standards for sensitive areas. The discharge must not cause deterioration of receiving water body status under the Water Framework Directive.
DNSH: Circular Economy
Sludge must be managed as a resource, with recovery of nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen) or energy prioritised. At least 70% of non-hazardous construction waste must be prepared for re-use or recycling.
DNSH: Pollution Prevention and Control
Odour and noise from the facility must be controlled using Best Available Techniques. Combined sewer overflows must be minimised through storage capacity or real-time control systems. Micropollutant removal should be considered for plants in sensitive catchments.