Le Fenouiller Wastewater Treatment Plant - Pays de la Loire, France

The Le Fenouiller wastewater treatment plant is located in the commune of Le Fenouiller, in the Vendée department of the Pays de la Loire region, France. It serves a population of approximately 3,683 people and operates with advanced treatment technology, reflecting the high environmental standards required for coastal communities in France. As an advanced treatment facility, the plant goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which is typical for plants discharging into sensitive coastal areas. The plant has a designed capacity of 3,500 m³/day and currently treats an average of 657 m³/day, indicating ample reserve capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations of this size are required to provide secondary treatment, but the advanced level here exceeds that mandate. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that flow toward the Atlantic Ocean, likely via the coastal wetlands of the Vendée. This region is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and migratory birds. The advanced treatment helps protect the coastal marine environment from eutrophication and other pollution impacts.

The plant discharges into the local drainage network that ultimately reaches the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean. The Vendée coast features important estuarine and wetland habitats that support diverse aquatic life and migratory bird populations. Advanced nutrient removal at the plant helps prevent algal blooms and maintains water quality in these sensitive coastal ecosystems.