Sölden plant failure burdens Ötztaler Ache

The failure of a wastewater treatment plant in Sölden is allowing potentially harmful substances to continue entering the Ötztaler Ache, ORF reported. A water ecologist from the University of Innsbruck is advising people not to swim in the river.

The treatment plant was badly damaged by a mudslide at the end of July. Although coarse cleaning has been possible again since Thursday, pathogens, pharmaceutical residues and nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen can still enter the Ötztaler Ache without filtration.

Gabriel Singer, a water ecologist at the University of Innsbruck, said the discharge was causing a considerable nutrient burden. This could lead to eutrophication, including particularly high algae growth, because treatment plants normally retain much of the nitrogen and phosphorus.

The extent of the impact depends partly on how heavily the plant is currently being used and on the river’s flow, which affects dilution. However, Singer said dilution could not reduce the pollution to zero.

The Sölden treatment plant is designed to serve 75,000 people, making it one of the larger facilities.