BARSAC 2 Wastewater Treatment Plant, Loupiac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

BARSAC 2 is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Loupiac, within the Gironde department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. The facility serves a population of approximately 1,492 and is designed to handle a capacity of 2,500 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 266.17 m³/day. As a secondary treatment plant, BARSAC 2 meets the requirements of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations under 10,000 population equivalent. The directive mandates secondary treatment for all inland discharges from such communities, ensuring effective removal of organic matter and suspended solids. The plant discharges treated effluent into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Garonne River and then the Gironde estuary, a major Atlantic coastal ecosystem. The Gironde estuary supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish species such as Atlantic salmon and European eel.

BARSAC 2 discharges into the Garonne River basin, which flows into the Gironde estuary and then the Bay of Biscay. The Gironde estuary is one of the largest in Europe and supports a rich diversity of fish and bird species. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect this downstream environment by reducing organic pollution and nutrient loads, which is critical for maintaining water quality in the estuary and coastal zone.