COUSANCES LES FORGES Wastewater Treatment Plant, Grand Est, France

The COUSANCES LES FORGES wastewater treatment plant is located in Cousances-les-Forges, a commune in the Meuse department of the Grand Est region, France. It serves a population of 1,538 and has a designed capacity of 3,000 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 274.38 m³/day. The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for agglomerations of this size. As a French facility, the plant operates under national regulations transposing the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For a population of 1,538, the directive mandates secondary treatment, but the plant's advanced treatment indicates a higher level of nutrient removal or additional purification, likely due to local environmental sensitivity or discharge requirements. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Ornain River, a tributary of the Marne, which flows into the Seine and then the English Channel. The plant plays a key role in protecting the Ornain watershed and downstream aquatic ecosystems from nutrient pollution and organic contaminants.

The plant discharges into the Ornain River basin, which flows into the Marne and then the Seine River, eventually reaching the English Channel. The Ornain supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a larger river network that provides habitat for fish and invertebrates. The advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loads, protecting downstream water quality and preventing eutrophication in sensitive areas.