FARGUES SAINT HILAIRE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Fargues-Saint-Hilaire, France

The FARGUES SAINT HILAIRE wastewater treatment plant is located in Fargues-Saint-Hilaire, a commune in the Gironde department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,820 residents and is designed to handle a capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per day, with a current discharge volume of 503.08 cubic meters per day. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant meets the requirements of 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, which applies here. The plant's operational context is governed by French regulations that transpose the directive, ensuring compliance with effluent standards. The treated wastewater is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Garonne River and then the Gironde estuary, a major ecological zone on the Atlantic coast. The estuary supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish species. The plant's location within 50 km of the coast underscores its role in protecting downstream marine environments.

The plant discharges into the local watershed that flows into the Garonne River, a major watercourse in southwestern France. The Garonne joins the Dordogne to form the Gironde estuary, the largest estuary in Western Europe, which empties into the Bay of Biscay. This estuary is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a critical habitat for migratory fish such as salmon and sturgeon. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, protecting the downstream ecosystem.