Overview
GAN 2 is a municipal wastewater treatment plant serving approximately 7,815 people in Gan, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size.
GAN 2 is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Gan, a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 7,815 people, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category under EU classification. As a French facility, GAN 2 operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) between 2,000 and 10,000 discharging into freshwater. The regulatory framework ensures compliance with national standards set by the French Ministry of Ecological Transition. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Gave de Pau river, a major tributary of the Adour River. The Adour flows into the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean) near Bayonne. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional water quality management.
Environmental context
GAN 2 discharges into the Gave de Pau river, which flows into the Adour River and then into the Bay of Biscay. The watershed supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish populations such as salmon and trout, and is a key resource for agriculture and drinking water in the region. The plant's location inland, more than 50 km from the coast, reduces direct marine impact, but its effluent quality is critical for maintaining the ecological health of the Gave de Pau and downstream waters.
Frequently asked questions
GAN 2 is located at Rue de la Villefranche in Gan, a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France.
GAN 2 serves approximately 7,815 people, classifying it as a small-to-medium agglomeration under EU wastewater treatment regulations.
GAN 2 discharges treated effluent into the local watershed, which flows into the Gave de Pau river, a tributary of the Adour River that empties into the Bay of Biscay.
GAN 2 operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of its size discharging into freshwater. Compliance is enforced by French national authorities.
For agglomerations of this scale in France, secondary treatment (biological treatment) is typically required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, unless the receiving water is designated as sensitive, in which case tertiary treatment may be needed.
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