BOEN Les Girauds Wastewater Treatment Plant, Boën-sur-Lignon, France

BOEN Les Girauds is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Boën-sur-Lignon, within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,556 residents and is situated in the Loire department, an area characterized by its rural and agricultural landscape. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 4,670 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 277.59 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. As a French plant, it operates under the national regulations transposing the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates appropriate treatment levels based on the size of the agglomeration and the sensitivity of the receiving environment. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Loire River, one of France's major rivers. The Loire basin supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and is an important ecological corridor. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality and contributes to the overall health of the Loire River system.

The plant discharges into the local watershed that feeds the Loire River, which flows through central France before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. The Loire basin is ecologically significant, supporting diverse fish populations and migratory bird species. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting downstream aquatic habitats and water quality.