Overview
BEYCHAC ET CAILLAU wastewater treatment plant in Beychac-et-Caillau, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, serves 5,372 people with advanced treatment. It discharges 958.35 m³/day and has a designed capacity of 9,750 m³/day.
The BEYCHAC ET CAILLAU wastewater treatment plant is located in the commune of Beychac-et-Caillau, within the Gironde department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 5,372 residents, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category under French and EU regulations. The facility employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The plant has a designed capacity of 9,750 m³/day and currently discharges 958.35 m³/day of treated wastewater, indicating significant spare capacity. Treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Garonne River and then the Gironde estuary, a major ecological and economic resource. The advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality, supporting aquatic life and recreational uses in the region.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a tributary of the Dordogne or Garonne river system, which flows into the Gironde estuary, the largest estuary in western Europe. This estuary supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species such as salmon and sturgeon. The advanced treatment level helps minimize nutrient and pollutant loads, protecting the sensitive estuarine ecosystem from eutrophication and contamination.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Beychac-et-Caillau, a commune in the Gironde department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France, near the city of Bordeaux.
The plant serves approximately 5,372 residents, classifying it as a small-to-medium agglomeration under EU wastewater directives.
The plant uses advanced treatment processes, which provide higher levels of pollutant removal than standard secondary treatment, ensuring high-quality effluent discharge.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which flows into the Garonne River and ultimately the Gironde estuary, a major ecological and economic resource.
As a French plant serving over 2,000 people, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment as a minimum. The plant's advanced treatment exceeds this requirement, providing enhanced environmental protection.
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