BENET route du Mazeau Wastewater Treatment Plant, Coulon, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

BENET route du Mazeau is a wastewater treatment plant located in Coulon, within the Deux-Sevres department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. The facility serves a population of approximately 1,760 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size discharging into freshwater. The designed capacity is 3,500 m³/day, with a current discharge volume of 313.98 m³/day, indicating ample reserve capacity. The plant operates under the French regulatory framework, which implements the EU directive through national legislation, ensuring compliance with discharge standards. The treated effluent is discharged into the local water system, which ultimately drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Marais Poitevin region. This area is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and migratory bird populations. The plant's operation helps protect the water quality of the regional wetlands and downstream environments.

The plant discharges into the local watershed within the Marais Poitevin, a vast wetland area that drains into the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean). This region is ecologically important for biodiversity, including fish spawning grounds and bird migration corridors. The secondary treatment ensures that nutrient loads are reduced, helping to prevent eutrophication in the downstream coastal waters.