Overview
LEON wastewater treatment plant serves approximately 8,000 people in Léon, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It has a designed capacity of 1.00 volume unit and is located within 50 km of the Atlantic coast.
The LEON wastewater treatment plant is located in Léon, a commune in the Landes department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. The facility serves a population of approximately 8,000 residents and has a designed capacity of 1.00 volume unit. It is situated near the Atlantic coast, within 50 km of the shoreline. As a French wastewater treatment plant serving a medium-sized agglomeration, LEON operates under the European Union's Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). This directive requires secondary treatment for discharges into freshwater and estuaries, and more advanced treatment for sensitive areas. The regulatory framework ensures compliance with EU standards for population equivalents of this scale. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Atlantic Ocean. The Landes region is characterized by coastal dunes, pine forests, and wetlands, making the protection of water quality critical for both ecological and recreational uses. The plant plays a key role in safeguarding the downstream environment, including nearby rivers and coastal ecosystems.
Environmental context
The LEON plant discharges into the local watershed that flows toward the Atlantic Ocean, part of the Bay of Biscay. The downstream environment includes coastal wetlands and dunes that support diverse aquatic life and migratory birds. Protecting water quality is essential for maintaining the ecological balance of this sensitive coastal region.
Frequently asked questions
The LEON plant is located at Avenue de l'Océan, Léon, in the Landes department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.
The plant serves approximately 8,000 residents in the commune of Léon and surrounding areas.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the local watershed, which flows toward the Atlantic Ocean. The discharge ultimately reaches the Bay of Biscay.
As a French plant, LEON operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which sets standards for collection, treatment, and discharge of urban wastewater based on population size and receiving water sensitivity.
Under the EU UWWTD, agglomerations with a population equivalent between 2,000 and 10,000 generally require secondary treatment. For plants near sensitive coastal areas, more stringent treatment may be mandated to protect marine ecosystems.
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