Overview
BOUFFERE Giratoire de la Motte is a secondary wastewater treatment plant serving Montaigu-Vendée, France, with a population equivalent of 3,381. It discharges 603.16 m³/day and operates under EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive standards.
BOUFFERE Giratoire de la Motte is a wastewater treatment plant located in the Boufféré district of Montaigu-Vendée, in the Pays de la Loire region of western France. The plant serves a population equivalent of 3,381, placing it in the small agglomeration category under EU classification. It is situated inland, approximately 50 km from the Atlantic coast. 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 1,800 m³/day, and the current discharge volume is 603.16 m³/day, indicating operational headroom. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes such as activated sludge or trickling filters. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain toward the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the regional watershed, which includes the Maine and Sèvre Nantaise rivers, by reducing organic pollutants and nutrients before discharge. This helps maintain water quality in downstream environments, including the Loire estuary and the Bay of Biscay.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the local drainage network of the Maine river basin, which flows into the Sèvre Nantaise and eventually the Loire River before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish species. The Pays de la Loire region features a mix of agricultural and urban land use, making nutrient management critical to prevent eutrophication in coastal waters.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in the Boufféré district of Montaigu-Vendée, in the Vendée department of the Pays de la Loire region, western France.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 3,381, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive categories.
The plant provides secondary treatment and discharges treated effluent at a rate of 603.16 m³/day into local watercourses that drain into the Maine river basin, eventually reaching the Atlantic Ocean.
As a French plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size discharging into freshwater.
For small agglomerations (under 10,000 PE) in France, secondary treatment is standard, often using biological processes like activated sludge or biofilters, as required by the EU directive.
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