Overview
La Grave nouvelle wastewater treatment plant serves the commune of La Grave in the French Alps. It provides secondary treatment for a population of 1,730, with a designed capacity of 6,000 m³/day.
La Grave nouvelle is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the commune of La Grave, within the Hautes-Alpes department of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France. Situated in the high alpine region near the Écrins National Park, the plant serves a small mountain community with a population of approximately 1,730 residents. The facility is positioned along the D1091 road in the Le Grand Clot area, reflecting its role in supporting local sanitation needs in a challenging mountainous environment. The plant operates at secondary treatment level, which is the standard required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations with a population equivalent between 2,000 and 10,000 discharging into freshwater. With a designed capacity of 6,000 m³/day and an average daily discharge volume of 308.63 m³, the facility has significant reserve capacity to accommodate seasonal tourism fluctuations common in alpine resorts. The treatment process ensures compliance with French national regulations transposing the EU directive. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Romanche River, a tributary of the Drac River, and then into the Isère River, part of the Rhône basin. This alpine river system supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for downstream communities. The plant's location in a sensitive mountain environment underscores the importance of maintaining high treatment standards to protect water quality in the region.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Romanche River, which flows through the Écrins massif before joining the Drac River and eventually the Isère River, a major tributary of the Rhône. This alpine watershed is ecologically sensitive, supporting cold-water fish species such as brown trout and serving as a habitat for diverse macroinvertebrates. The high-altitude environment requires careful management of nutrient loads to prevent eutrophication in downstream water bodies.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in La Grave, a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France. Its address is D 1091, Le Grand Clot, La Grave, 05320.
The plant serves a population of 1,730 residents, with a designed capacity of 6,000 m³ per day, allowing for seasonal peaks from tourism.
The treated effluent is discharged into the Romanche River, which flows into the Drac and Isère rivers, part of the Rhône basin.
The plant provides secondary treatment, meeting the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive requirements for agglomerations of this size in freshwater areas.
The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), transposed into French law. For a population of 1,730, secondary treatment is mandatory, and the plant's capacity suggests it can handle additional load from seasonal tourism.
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