Overview
Aix les Milles Village is an advanced wastewater treatment plant serving 4,283 people in Aix-en-Provence, France. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive with a designed capacity of 5,000 m³/day.
Aix les Milles Village is a wastewater treatment plant located in the Les Milles district of Aix-en-Provence, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,283 residents and has a designed capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 764.08 m³/day. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) to protect sensitive receiving waters. As a French facility, it operates under national regulations that implement the EU directive, with permits issued by the local water agency (Agence de l'Eau). The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains to the Mediterranean Sea via the Arc River and the Étang de Berre lagoon. The region's Mediterranean climate and proximity to coastal ecosystems make advanced treatment important for protecting water quality in downstream habitats that support diverse aquatic life.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Arc River basin, which flows into the Étang de Berre, a large lagoon connected to the Mediterranean Sea. This coastal lagoon is an ecologically sensitive area that supports diverse aquatic life, including fish nurseries and migratory birds. Advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading that could cause eutrophication in the lagoon and coastal waters.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in the Les Milles district of Aix-en-Provence, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
The plant serves approximately 4,283 residents in the Les Milles area of Aix-en-Provence.
The plant provides advanced treatment, which includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) beyond secondary treatment, to protect the sensitive downstream environment.
Under the EU UWWTD (91/271/EEC), agglomerations with a population equivalent above 2,000 require at least secondary treatment. Aix les Milles Village, serving over 4,000 people, meets this requirement and exceeds it with advanced treatment, which is often required in sensitive areas like the Mediterranean coast.
The plant has a designed capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 764.08 m³/day, indicating it operates well below its maximum capacity.
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