LARMOR BADEN la Saline Wastewater Treatment Plant, Larmor-Baden, Brittany

LARMOR BADEN la Saline is a wastewater treatment plant located in Larmor-Baden, a coastal commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany, France. The plant serves a population of 1,684 and is situated near the Gulf of Morbihan, a semi-enclosed marine basin. It operates under the French regulatory framework, which implements the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required under the EU directive for agglomerations of this size discharging into coastal waters. Its designed capacity is 5,000 m³/day, and it currently discharges an average of 300.42 m³/day of treated effluent. The plant's location within 10 km of the coast classifies it as a coastal discharge facility, subject to additional scrutiny under French and EU regulations to protect marine environments. The treated effluent from LARMOR BADEN la Saline is discharged into the Gulf of Morbihan, a shallow, macrotidal estuary that connects to the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf is an ecologically sensitive area that supports diverse marine life, including seagrass beds, shellfish beds, and migratory bird populations. The plant plays a key role in protecting this coastal ecosystem from nutrient pollution and pathogens.

The plant discharges into the Gulf of Morbihan, a semi-enclosed marine basin that connects to the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. This coastal water body is ecologically sensitive, supporting seagrass meadows, shellfish aquaculture, and important bird habitats. The Gulf's restricted water exchange makes it vulnerable to nutrient enrichment, so the plant's secondary treatment helps mitigate eutrophication risks. Downstream, the Bay of Biscay is a productive marine ecosystem that supports fisheries and marine biodiversity.