Overview
Combaillaux Les Sajolles is a secondary wastewater treatment plant in Combaillaux, Occitanie, France, serving 1,900 people with a designed capacity of 2,200 m³/day.
Combaillaux Les Sajolles is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Combaillaux, a commune in the Hérault department of Occitanie, southern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,900 residents and has a designed capacity of 2,200 cubic meters per day, with an average discharge volume of 338.96 cubic meters per day. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting the standards required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The directive mandates secondary treatment for populations between 2,000 and 10,000 in normal areas, and Combaillaux's plant aligns with these requirements despite serving slightly fewer than 2,000 people. The plant discharges treated effluent into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Mediterranean Sea via the Hérault River system. Its inland location, more than 10 km from the coast, reduces direct marine impact, but the receiving waters support diverse aquatic life and are part of a region known for viticulture and tourism. Proper treatment helps protect downstream ecosystems and groundwater quality.
Environmental context
The plant's treated effluent flows into small streams within the Hérault River basin, which drains into the Mediterranean Sea near Sète. The Hérault River supports diverse aquatic species and is an important corridor for migratory fish. The region's Mediterranean climate means low summer flows, making nutrient removal critical to prevent eutrophication in downstream coastal lagoons.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located at Chemin de la Balajade in Combaillaux, a commune in the Hérault department of Occitanie, southern France.
The plant serves approximately 1,900 residents of Combaillaux and surrounding areas.
The plant discharges treated effluent into local streams within the Hérault River basin, which ultimately flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which includes biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting EU standards for small agglomerations.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations of this scale typically require secondary treatment. The plant's secondary treatment aligns with these requirements, protecting the Hérault River and Mediterranean coastal waters.
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