Overview
Corneilla-del-Vercol2 is an advanced wastewater treatment plant in Corneilla-del-Vercol, Occitanie, France, serving about 4,927 people with a capacity of 8,000 m³/day. It discharges treated effluent near the Mediterranean coast.
Corneilla-del-Vercol2 is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Corneilla-del-Vercol, a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department of Occitanie, southern France. The plant serves a population equivalent of approximately 4,927, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French regulations. Its designed capacity of 8,000 m³/day provides headroom for future growth or seasonal tourism fluctuations. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) to protect sensitive receiving waters. As a coastal facility within 10 km of the Mediterranean Sea, this level of treatment aligns with the directive's requirements for discharges into sensitive areas that are subject to eutrophication. The treated effluent is discharged into the local hydrological network, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the Tech River or coastal lagoons. The region's coastal and marine ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and nursery habitats for fish, benefit from the plant's advanced treatment, which reduces nutrient loading and helps maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive area.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Tech River basin, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea near the Gulf of Lion. This coastal zone supports diverse marine life, including seagrass beds and fish spawning grounds, and is part of a region known for its ecological sensitivity to nutrient pollution. Advanced treatment at this plant helps mitigate eutrophication risks in the downstream coastal environment.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Corneilla-del-Vercol, a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department of Occitanie, southern France, near the Mediterranean coast.
The plant serves approximately 4,927 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French and EU wastewater regulations.
The plant uses advanced treatment processes, which include nutrient removal to protect the sensitive coastal environment. This exceeds the EU minimum requirement of secondary treatment for plants of this size.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local drainage network, which flows into the Tech River and ultimately reaches the Mediterranean Sea.
As a French plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment as a minimum and advanced treatment in sensitive areas. French authorities enforce these standards through national permits.
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