Overview
AVENE bourg is a secondary wastewater treatment plant in Avène, Occitanie, France, serving a population of 200. It discharges 35.68 m³/day and has a designed capacity of 900 m³/day.
AVENE bourg is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Avène, a commune in the Hérault department of Occitanie, southern France. The plant serves a small population of 200, reflecting its role in a rural or peri-urban setting. It is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and operates under French regulations that implement the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required for small agglomerations under the EU directive. With a designed capacity of 900 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 35.68 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variations. Secondary treatment typically involves biological degradation of organic matter and settling. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse, likely a tributary of the Orb River or the Hérault River, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The plant's operation helps protect the local watershed from nutrient pollution and pathogens, supporting aquatic life and downstream water quality in the region's sensitive karst landscapes.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a local stream that feeds into the Orb River system, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea near Valras-Plage. The watershed includes karstic terrain typical of Occitanie, where groundwater and surface water interactions are ecologically sensitive. The secondary treatment reduces organic load and suspended solids, protecting downstream aquatic habitats and the coastal marine environment from eutrophication.
Frequently asked questions
AVENE bourg is located at 491 Route de la Plaine, La Rode Basse, Avène, in the Hérault department of Occitanie, France.
The plant has a designed capacity of 900 cubic meters per day and currently discharges about 35.68 cubic meters per day, serving a population of 200.
The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that flows into the Orb River system, eventually reaching the Mediterranean Sea.
As a French plant, AVENE bourg operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size.
For small agglomerations under 2,000 population equivalent, French regulations require appropriate treatment, often secondary or equivalent, to protect receiving waters.
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