Overview
LIEGE OUPEYE wastewater treatment plant serves Haccourt, Belgium, treating municipal wastewater for approximately 214,682 people under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
LIEGE OUPEYE is a major wastewater treatment plant located in Haccourt, within the municipality of Oupeye in the Liège province of Belgium. It serves a population of around 214,682, classifying it as a large agglomeration under EU regulations. The plant is part of Belgium's extensive wastewater infrastructure, managed under Walloon regional authority. As a large-scale facility, LIEGE OUPEYE is expected to meet stringent treatment standards under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment as a minimum and tertiary treatment in sensitive areas. The plant's capacity and treatment processes are designed to handle the significant load from the surrounding urban and industrial areas, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. The treated effluent from LIEGE OUPEYE is discharged into the Meuse River basin, which flows through Liège and eventually into the North Sea via the Netherlands. The plant plays a critical role in protecting the Meuse River's water quality, supporting aquatic life and downstream ecosystems. Its operation helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, contributing to the ecological health of the river and the broader Scheldt-Meuse delta region.
Environmental context
LIEGE OUPEYE discharges into the Meuse River basin, a major European waterway that flows through Belgium and the Netherlands before reaching the North Sea. The Meuse supports diverse aquatic habitats and is an important corridor for migratory fish. The plant's treatment helps mitigate eutrophication risks in downstream waters, particularly in the sensitive estuarine zones of the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta.
Frequently asked questions
LIEGE OUPEYE is located in Haccourt, within the municipality of Oupeye, in the Liège province of Wallonia, Belgium.
The plant serves approximately 214,682 people, classifying it as a large agglomeration under EU regulations.
The treated effluent is discharged into the Meuse River basin, which flows through Liège and eventually reaches the North Sea.
As a large agglomeration serving over 150,000 people, LIEGE OUPEYE is subject to the EU UWWTD, which requires secondary treatment as a minimum and tertiary treatment in sensitive areas to protect water quality.
Plants of this scale in Belgium typically employ secondary biological treatment (e. g. , activated sludge) and often include tertiary nutrient removal to meet stringent EU standards, especially in sensitive catchments like the Meuse basin.
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