Overview
HERIC Les Basse Naudais is an advanced wastewater treatment plant in Héric, Pays de la Loire, France, serving 2,417 people with a designed capacity of 2,600 m³/day.
HERIC Les Basse Naudais is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Héric, within the Pays de la Loire region of France. The facility serves a population of approximately 2,417 and has a designed capacity of 2,600 m³/day, with a current discharge volume of 431.19 m³/day. It is situated inland, more than 10 km from the coast, and operates under French regulations implementing the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). As an advanced treatment plant, it goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which is typical for sensitive areas under the EU directive. For agglomerations of this size (under 10,000 population equivalent), the directive requires appropriate treatment, and France mandates advanced treatment in designated sensitive catchments to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the Loire River basin, ultimately reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the regional aquatic environment, supporting biodiversity in rivers and wetlands that are part of the Loire watershed, a major ecological corridor in western France.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local streams that feed into the Loire River, one of Europe's last wild rivers, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The Loire basin supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species such as Atlantic salmon and European eel. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting downstream water quality and the ecological health of the Loire estuary and coastal zone.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located at 12, Îlot des Sternes, Boisdon, Héric, in the Loire-Atlantique department of the Pays de la Loire region, France.
The plant serves approximately 2,417 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that are part of the Loire River basin, eventually reaching the Atlantic Ocean.
The plant provides advanced treatment, which includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) beyond secondary treatment, in line with French regulations for sensitive areas.
As a plant serving fewer than 10,000 people, it is subject to the directive's requirements for appropriate treatment. In France, advanced treatment is often required in sensitive catchments to protect water bodies from eutrophication.
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