Simmering main sewage treatment plant: 45 years of environmental protection and innovation!

Simmering main sewage treatment plant: 45 years of environmental protection and innovation!

The main sewage treatment plant in Simmering has Grund to celebrate: On June 30, 2025, its 45th anniversary was celebrated, and the city of Vienna looks back on 45 years in the service of the environment and wastewater cleaning. The important facility was opened by Leopold Gratz, the then mayor of Vienna, and she is entitled to the largest environmental protection project in the second Republic of Austria. On average, more than 200 million cubic meters of wastewater are treated here annually - an impressive amount that underlines the city's commitment to sustainability.

on an area of ​​around 47 hectares, larger than the Vatican, the sewage treatment plant has cleaned an incredible 8.7 trillion liter of wastewater since its commissioning. This corresponds more than twice the volume of Lake Attersee! In the past 45 years, the city of Vienna has invested around 750 million euros in the expansion and renovation of the system, which shows that it is not just a project, but also an ongoing commitment to the future environment.

eco-power plant and modern technology

The main sewage treatment plant is not only committed to cleaning wastewater, but also scores with innovative technologies. It produces more energy from sewage gas than it consumes and is therefore also referred to as the "eco-power plant". In addition, the system delivers health data from sewage monitoring, which was introduced in 2020 during the Covid 19 pandemic. Such modern developments are essential for health and environmental protection in the city.

In recent years there have been significant extensions: in 2023, a large -scale heat pump system was put into operation, which enables the sewage treatment plant to generate district heating for over 100,000 households. In addition, Mayor Michael Ludwig was present in the introduction of renewable energy generation in 2020, while his predecessor, Mayor Michael Häustl, accompanied the commissioning of an extended biological cleaning level in 2005.

New order for greater efficiency

In order to further increase efficiency, the City of Vienna has recently given a major order to ProBig. In cooperation with Ginzler/Amstetten, band clearers are provided for the system. So you want to make sure that the sewage treatment plant remains up to date with the latest technology. The order volume for ProBig is around 1.8 million euros and aims to introduce modern chain rooms made of high-quality plastics that are TÜV-tested and certified. This is another step towards energy praise, which was targeted for 2020 and is now focusing on the implementation of high technology.

summarized, the round birthday of the sewage treatment plant in Simmering not only shows the successes of the past 45 years, but also looks into a promising future. With continuous investments and a clear focus on sustainable technologies, the system remains an example of ecological engagement and innovative solutions in the service of the public.