Overview
LACAUNE Communale is a municipal wastewater treatment plant serving Lacaune, Occitanie, France. It treats wastewater for approximately 6,330 residents, operating under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
LACAUNE Communale is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Lacaune, within the Occitanie region of southern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 6,330 people, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under EU regulations. Situated inland in the Tarn department, the facility is part of France's extensive wastewater infrastructure managed by local authorities. As a plant serving fewer than 10,000 people, LACAUNE Communale is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires appropriate treatment based on the sensitivity of the receiving environment. For smaller agglomerations, secondary treatment is typically mandated unless the discharge is into a less sensitive area. It operates within the French regulatory framework overseen by the Agences de l'Eau. The treated effluent from LACAUNE Communale is discharged into local watercourses that eventually flow into the Garonne River basin, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Gironde estuary. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Tarn and Garonne river systems, supporting aquatic life and downstream ecosystems.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local streams that feed into the Tarn River, a major tributary of the Garonne. The Garonne basin supports diverse aquatic habitats and is important for migratory fish species such as Atlantic salmon and European eel. The region's Mediterranean climate influences seasonal flow variations, making consistent wastewater treatment critical for maintaining water quality in downstream rivers and the Gironde estuary.
Frequently asked questions
LACAUNE Communale is located in Lacaune, in the Occitanie region of southern France, within the Tarn department.
The plant serves approximately 6,330 people, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under EU wastewater directives.
The plant treats wastewater that is discharged into local streams feeding the Tarn River, a tributary of the Garonne, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
As a French plant serving fewer than 10,000 people, it falls under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires appropriate treatment to protect receiving waters.
For agglomerations of this size, secondary treatment is standard unless the discharge is into a sensitive area requiring more advanced treatment, as per EU and French national regulations.
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