ARTIGUELOUTAN 2 Wastewater Treatment Plant, Artigueloutan, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

ARTIGUELOUTAN 2 is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Artigueloutan, a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,100 and is situated near the Ousse River, a tributary of the Gave de Pau. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 6,000 m³/day and a current discharge volume of about 734 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. Treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which flows into the Ousse River, then the Gave de Pau, and eventually the Adour River before reaching the Bay of Biscay. The plant plays a key role in protecting the aquatic ecosystems of the Adour basin, a region known for its diverse freshwater habitats and migratory fish species.

The plant discharges into the Ousse River, a tributary of the Gave de Pau, which joins the Adour River before emptying into the Bay of Biscay. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish such as salmon and eels. The region's Atlantic climate and agricultural land use make nutrient management important to prevent eutrophication in downstream coastal waters.