LE NOUVION EN THIERACHE II Wastewater Treatment Plant, Le Nouvion-en-Thiérache, France

LE NOUVION EN THIERACHE II is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Le Nouvion-en-Thiérache, a commune in the Aisne department of Hauts-de-France, France. The plant serves a population equivalent of 2,323, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French and EU regulations. As an advanced treatment facility, it goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which is typical for plants discharging into sensitive areas. The plant's designed capacity is 3,800 m³/day, with an average daily discharge volume of 414.42 m³, indicating significant spare capacity. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations above 2,000 population equivalent, and advanced treatment for discharges into sensitive areas. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the North Sea via the Scheldt basin. The region's water bodies support diverse aquatic life and are important for agriculture and biodiversity. Advanced treatment helps protect downstream ecosystems from eutrophication and other pollution impacts.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Scheldt river basin, which flows through France and Belgium before reaching the North Sea. The receiving waters support a variety of fish and invertebrate species and are used for agricultural irrigation. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting downstream water quality and preventing algal blooms in the sensitive estuarine and coastal environments of the North Sea.