PHILIPPEVILLE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Philippeville, Belgium

The PHILIPPEVILLE wastewater treatment plant is located at 29 Avenue de Saulieu in Philippeville, within the province of Namur, Wallonia, Belgium. It serves a population of 1,125 and has a designed capacity of 2,700 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 201.09 m³/day. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for agglomerations of this size. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant uses biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharging treated effluent. The plant operates under Belgium's implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for all inland agglomerations with a population equivalent above 2,000. For smaller communities like Philippeville, secondary treatment is still recommended to protect local water quality. The treated wastewater is discharged into local watercourses that eventually flow into the Meuse River basin. The Meuse River is a major European waterway that drains through Belgium and the Netherlands into the North Sea. The plant's location inland, more than 50 km from the coast, means its discharge contributes to freshwater ecosystems rather than directly impacting marine environments. Proper treatment helps protect aquatic life and downstream water users in the Meuse catchment.

The plant discharges into the Meuse River basin, which flows through Belgium and the Netherlands before reaching the North Sea. The Meuse supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and is an important source of drinking water for downstream communities. Secondary treatment at this plant reduces organic pollution and helps maintain water quality in the river system, which is subject to the EU Water Framework Directive's objectives for good ecological status.