LA CHAPELLE HEULIN Le Champ Failli Wastewater Treatment Plant, La Chapelle-Heulin, France

LA CHAPELLE HEULIN Le Champ Failli is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in La Chapelle-Heulin, within the Pays de la Loire region of France. The facility serves a population of approximately 2,333 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French and EU regulations. The plant is situated in the Loire-Atlantique department, near the city of Nantes. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 2,500 m³/day and a reported discharge volume of 416.20 m³/day, the facility operates well within its capacity, ensuring effective treatment of municipal wastewater. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal, which is important for protecting sensitive receiving waters. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Loire River and then into the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in safeguarding the water quality of the Loire basin, a major European river system that supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions. By maintaining advanced treatment standards, the facility helps reduce nutrient loads and protect downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into the Loire River basin, which flows through western France before emptying into the Bay of Biscay. The Loire is one of Europe's last wild rivers, supporting diverse fish species such as Atlantic salmon and European eel, as well as extensive wetlands. Advanced treatment at this plant helps minimize nutrient pollution, protecting downstream aquatic habitats and the coastal marine environment.