AURIOL VALLEE DE L HUVEAUNE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Auriol, France

The AURIOL VALLEE DE L HUVEAUNE wastewater treatment plant is located in Auriol, a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 11,560 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under French and EU regulations. As a French wastewater treatment facility, the plant 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 designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in thousands of cubic meters per day or similar unit), indicating its scale. The plant discharges treated effluent into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the Huveaune River. The Huveaune River flows through the region and supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as the European eel. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Huveaune and the downstream coastal environment of the Mediterranean.

The plant discharges into the Huveaune River, which flows through the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region and empties into the Mediterranean Sea near Marseille. The Huveaune watershed supports a variety of aquatic species, including fish and invertebrates, and the river's health is critical for the coastal ecosystem. The Mediterranean Sea is a semi-enclosed sea with limited water exchange, making it sensitive to nutrient pollution that can cause eutrophication. The plant's treatment helps protect this sensitive marine environment.