CADENET Wastewater Treatment Plant, Cadenet, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

The CADENET wastewater treatment plant is located in Cadenet, a commune in the Vaucluse department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,400 residents and has a designed capacity of 4,600 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 606.55 cubic meters per day. As a secondary treatment facility, CADENET operates under the European Union's Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The plant's treatment process ensures that effluent meets EU standards before discharge into the local environment. The treated wastewater is discharged into the Durance River basin, which flows into the Rhône River and eventually reaches the Mediterranean Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Durance and Rhône rivers, supporting aquatic ecosystems and downstream uses such as agriculture and recreation.

The CADENET plant discharges into the Durance River, a major tributary of the Rhône River. The Durance supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for irrigation and drinking water supply in the region. The Rhône River flows into the Mediterranean Sea, where nutrient inputs from wastewater can affect coastal ecosystems. Secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping to maintain the ecological balance of the river and downstream marine environment.