Coutras 2 Wastewater Treatment Plant, Coutras, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Coutras 2 is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Coutras, a commune in the Gironde department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 6,056 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU regulations. As a French facility, Coutras 2 operates within the framework of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size discharging into freshwater. The directive ensures appropriate treatment standards are met. The treated effluent from Coutras 2 is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Dordogne River and then the Gironde estuary, a major ecological corridor in the region. The estuary supports diverse aquatic life and is important for migratory fish species.

Coutras 2 discharges into the local water system that flows into the Isle River, a tributary of the Dordogne River. The Dordogne joins the Garonne to form the Gironde estuary, the largest estuary in western Europe. This estuary is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a critical migratory corridor for fish species such as salmon and eels.