Overview
EGHEZEE wastewater treatment plant in Eghezée, Namur, Belgium, serves a population of 1,714 with secondary treatment. It has a designed capacity of 5,175 m³/day and discharges 306.38 m³/day.
The EGHEZEE wastewater treatment plant is located in Eghezée, within the province of Namur, Wallonia, Belgium. This facility serves a small agglomeration of approximately 1,714 people, reflecting its role in managing municipal wastewater for a rural community. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and operates under Belgium's implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 5,175 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 306.38 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating ample headroom for future growth or seasonal variations. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Meuse River basin, which flows through Belgium and the Netherlands before reaching the North Sea. The plant's operations help protect the Meuse River and its downstream ecosystems from nutrient pollution and pathogens, supporting aquatic life and water quality in the region.
Environmental context
The EGHEZEE plant discharges into the Meuse River basin, which flows northward through Belgium and the Netherlands into the North Sea. The Meuse supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic load and suspended solids, helping to maintain water quality in this transboundary river system. Downstream, the river passes through urban and industrial areas, making nutrient control critical to prevent eutrophication in the North Sea coastal zone.
Frequently asked questions
The EGHEZEE plant is located at Rue des Nozilles, Bolinne, in Eghezée, within the province of Namur, Wallonia, Belgium.
The plant serves a population of approximately 1,714 people, typical of a small agglomeration in rural Wallonia.
The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that are part of the Meuse River basin, eventually flowing to the North Sea.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for agglomerations of this size.
Under the EU UWWTD, agglomerations with a population equivalent above 2,000 require secondary treatment. Although EGHEZEE serves 1,714 people, Belgium applies the directive to all discharges, ensuring consistent water quality protection in the Meuse basin.
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