BOZOULS Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bozouls, Occitanie, France

The BOZOULS wastewater treatment plant is located in the commune of Bozouls, in the Aveyron department of Occitanie, southern France. It serves a population of approximately 2,000 residents, reflecting the scale of a small rural agglomeration. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal zones, and its operations are integrated into the local water management infrastructure. 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. With a designed capacity of 3,500 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 356 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. The advanced treatment level ensures high-quality effluent suitable for discharge into sensitive environments. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Lot River and then the Garonne River before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Aveyron region's rivers and supporting the ecological health of the downstream aquatic ecosystems, which include diverse freshwater species and habitats.

The plant discharges into the local river system within the Lot River basin, a tributary of the Garonne River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as brown trout and European eel. The advanced treatment helps maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive area, which is important for both biodiversity and downstream water uses.