Overview
LA ROCHE wastewater treatment plant in La Roche-en-Ardenne, Belgium, serves a population of 2,928 with secondary treatment. It discharges 523.38 m³/day and has a designed capacity of 10,350 m³/day.
LA ROCHE is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in La Roche-en-Ardenne, within the Luxembourg province of Wallonia, Belgium. The facility serves a population equivalent of 2,928, classifying it as a small agglomeration under Belgian and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for inland freshwater discharges. With a designed capacity of 10,350 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 523.38 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variability. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Ourthe River, a tributary of the Meuse River, which flows through Belgium and the Netherlands before reaching the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Ourthe and Meuse basins, supporting aquatic life and downstream uses.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Ourthe River basin, part of the larger Meuse River watershed that drains into the North Sea. The Ourthe is a salmonid river supporting diverse fish populations and recreational activities. Protecting water quality in this region is essential for maintaining ecological balance in the Meuse delta and coastal North Sea environment.
Frequently asked questions
LA ROCHE is located in La Roche-en-Ardenne, Luxembourg province, Wallonia, Belgium, along Route du Tram in Cielle.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 2,928, making it a small agglomeration under EU classification.
The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that flow into the Ourthe River, a tributary of the Meuse River, eventually reaching the North Sea.
LA ROCHE provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for inland discharges from agglomerations of this size.
As a Belgian plant serving fewer than 10,000 people, LA ROCHE operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for inland freshwater discharges. Belgian regional authorities enforce compliance through permits.
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