LARCHE Wastewater Treatment Plant, La Feuillade, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

LARCHE is a wastewater treatment plant located in La Feuillade, within the Dordogne department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It serves a population of approximately 3,700 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French and EU regulations. The plant is situated near the town of Larche and operates as part of the regional sanitation infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 4,200 m³/day, and the reported discharge volume is 660.07 m³/day, indicating operational headroom. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. Treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Dordogne River and then into the Atlantic Ocean via the Gironde estuary. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Dordogne basin, which supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional agriculture and tourism.

The plant discharges into the Dordogne River basin, which flows through the scenic Dordogne Valley before joining the Garonne to form the Gironde estuary, a major Atlantic outlet. The watershed supports diverse ecosystems, including fish species such as salmon and lamprey, and is a vital resource for local agriculture and tourism. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, safeguarding downstream water quality.