Overview
AUREILHAN wastewater treatment plant serves Bours in Occitanie, France, with a population equivalent of 17,400. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The AUREILHAN wastewater treatment plant is located in Bours, near Tarbes in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of Occitanie, France. It serves a population equivalent of 17,400, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations. As a French plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The directive also mandates more stringent treatment if the receiving waters are designated as sensitive areas. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Adour River basin and then to the Bay of Biscay. The region supports diverse aquatic life and is part of the broader Garonne-Adour system, important for migratory fish species.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Adour River basin, which flows through the Pyrenees foothills and into the Bay of Biscay. This watershed supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including habitats for migratory fish such as salmon and eels. The region's rivers are ecologically sensitive due to their role in connecting mountain streams to the Atlantic.
Frequently asked questions
The AUREILHAN plant is located in Bours, near Tarbes, in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of Occitanie, France.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 17,400, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU regulations.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Adour River basin and ultimately to the Bay of Biscay.
As a French plant serving 17,400 PE, it falls under the EU UWWTD (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations over 2,000 PE. If the receiving waters are sensitive, tertiary treatment may be needed.
Under the EU UWWTD, plants of this scale in France typically provide secondary biological treatment, often with nutrient removal if discharging into sensitive areas.
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