Beaufort en Vallee Wastewater Treatment Plant, Beaufort-en-Anjou, France

The Beaufort en Vallee wastewater treatment plant is located in Beaufort-en-Anjou, within the Pays de la Loire region of France. It serves a population of approximately 4,800 residents, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under French and EU regulations. The plant is situated near the Petit Moulin area, close to the town center. The facility employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 6,183 m³/day, with a reported discharge volume of 856.31 m³/day, indicating operational headroom. The plant is operated as part of France's municipal wastewater infrastructure, overseen by regional water agencies. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Loire River basin, a major hydrological system in western France. The Loire River flows into the Atlantic Ocean, supporting diverse aquatic ecosystems and migratory fish species. The advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality and ecological health.

The plant discharges into the Loire River basin, which flows westward through the Pays de la Loire region and into the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean). The Loire is one of France's longest rivers and supports a rich variety of aquatic life, including migratory fish such as Atlantic salmon and European eel. Advanced treatment at this facility helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, safeguarding the river's ecological balance and downstream coastal waters.