Overview
GASTES wastewater treatment plant in Gastes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, serves 3,300 people with advanced treatment. It discharges 588.71 m³/day and is located within 10 km of the coast.
GASTES is a wastewater treatment plant located in Gastes, a commune in the Landes department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,300 and operates with advanced treatment, reflecting its coastal proximity and the need for high effluent quality to protect sensitive marine environments. The plant has a designed capacity of 7,200 m³/day and currently discharges 588.71 m³/day of treated wastewater. As a facility in France, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires advanced (tertiary) treatment for discharges into sensitive areas, including coastal zones. The plant's advanced treatment level aligns with these requirements. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the coastal lagoons and rivers of the Landes region. The area supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor for migratory species. The plant's advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading and protect downstream water quality.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the coastal watershed of the Landes region, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean via the Arcachon Bay or nearby coastal lagoons. This area is ecologically sensitive, supporting seagrass beds, shellfish fisheries, and migratory bird populations. Advanced treatment reduces nutrient and pollutant loads, safeguarding the marine ecosystem from eutrophication and habitat degradation.
Frequently asked questions
The GASTES plant is located at Rue de Hilloou Moulaou, Gastes, in the Landes department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France.
The plant serves approximately 3,300 people in the commune of Gastes and surrounding areas.
The plant discharges treated wastewater into the local watershed, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean via coastal lagoons and rivers in the Landes region.
The plant provides advanced (tertiary) treatment, which includes nutrient removal to protect the sensitive coastal environment.
As a French plant in a coastal sensitive area, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates advanced treatment for agglomerations discharging into sensitive zones.
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