Lavardac Wastewater Treatment Plant, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

The Lavardac wastewater treatment plant is located in Lavardac, a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It serves a population of approximately 2,800 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French and EU regulations. The plant is situated inland, far from coastal areas, and its operations are part of the region's municipal wastewater infrastructure. 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 2,700 m³ per day and an actual discharge volume of 499.52 m³ per day, the facility operates well within its capacity, indicating efficient management and potential for future growth. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the Garonne River basin, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean via the Gironde estuary. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the downstream aquatic environment, including the Garonne River and its tributaries, which support diverse ecosystems and are important for regional biodiversity.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Garonne River, which flows through southwestern France and into the Gironde estuary before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The Garonne basin supports diverse aquatic life and is a critical migratory corridor for fish species such as salmon and eels. Advanced treatment at Lavardac helps reduce nutrient loads and pollutants, protecting downstream water quality and ecological health.