COUBON Le Bourg Wastewater Treatment Plant, Coubon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

COUBON Le Bourg is a wastewater treatment plant located in the commune of Coubon, within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. The plant serves a small population of approximately 1,361 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or semi-rural community. Its location in the Loire River basin places it within a network of small to medium-sized treatment facilities that protect local water quality. The plant 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. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) to reduce eutrophication risks in sensitive receiving waters. The designed capacity of 1,967 m³/day indicates the plant is sized to handle current and future flows, with a reported discharge volume of 242.80 m³/day suggesting operational headroom. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Loire River, one of France's major rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. By providing advanced treatment, the plant helps maintain the ecological health of the Loire basin, supporting aquatic biodiversity and downstream water quality for communities and ecosystems.

The plant discharges into the Loire River basin, which flows through central France before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The Loire is known for its diverse aquatic habitats, including migratory fish species such as Atlantic salmon and European eel. Advanced treatment at this plant reduces nutrient loads, helping to prevent algal blooms and oxygen depletion in downstream waters, thereby supporting the ecological balance of the river and its estuary.