ARLES RAPHELE MOULES Wastewater Treatment Plant, Arles, France

ARLES RAPHELE MOULES is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Raphèle-lès-Arles, a district of Arles in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southern France. The plant serves a population of 2,419 and is part of the region's wastewater infrastructure managed under French national regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment stage required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The designed capacity is 4,667 m³/day, with an average daily discharge of 431.55 m³/day, indicating significant reserve capacity. The plant operates under the French regulatory framework, which implements EU directives through national permits issued by the local water agency. The treated effluent is discharged into the local water system, which ultimately drains into the Rhône River delta and the Mediterranean Sea. The plant plays a role in protecting the Camargue region, a ecologically sensitive area known for its wetlands and biodiversity. By treating wastewater to secondary standards, it helps reduce nutrient loads and organic pollution entering the Rhône basin.

The plant discharges into the Rhône River basin, which flows through the Camargue delta into the Mediterranean Sea. The Camargue is a vast wetland complex that supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory birds and fish species. Secondary treatment reduces organic matter and suspended solids, helping to maintain water quality in this ecologically important downstream environment.