Aire de la Lozere Wastewater Treatment Plant - Albaret-Sainte-Marie, Occitanie

Aire de la Lozere is a wastewater treatment plant located in Albaret-Sainte-Marie, a commune in the Lozère department of Occitanie, southern France. The plant serves a small population of 658 people, reflecting its role in a rural, sparsely populated area of the Massif Central region. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations under 10,000 population equivalent. Its designed capacity of 3,300 m³/day indicates it can handle peak flows and future growth. The plant discharges a daily volume of approximately 117 m³ of treated wastewater. Treated effluent from the plant likely discharges into a local stream or river within the Loire basin, as the area drains northward toward the Loire River. The receiving water body supports local aquatic ecosystems in the Massif Central, a region known for its headwater streams and biodiversity. The advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality in this sensitive upland environment.

The plant is located inland in the Massif Central, over 50 km from the coast. Its treated effluent flows into local watercourses that are part of the Loire River basin, eventually reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The region's streams support diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as brown trout, and the advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading in these sensitive headwater ecosystems.