Overview
The Lourdes wastewater treatment plant serves approximately 82,000 people in Occitanie, France. It operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this scale.
The Lourdes wastewater treatment plant is located in the town of Lourdes, within the Occitanie region of southern France. The facility serves a population of approximately 82,000, placing it in the category of a medium-to-large agglomeration under EU classification. As a French plant serving over 10,000 population equivalent, it is subject to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment as a minimum. For agglomerations above 15,000 PE discharging into sensitive areas, tertiary treatment may be mandated. The regulatory framework ensures compliance with national and European standards. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Adour River basin and then into the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the Gave de Pau river system, a tributary of the Adour, which supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional water quality.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Gave de Pau river, a tributary of the Adour River, which flows into the Bay of Biscay. The watershed supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and is an important corridor for migratory fish species. The region's karstic geology and mountainous terrain make the water bodies sensitive to nutrient pollution, emphasizing the need for effective treatment.
Frequently asked questions
The Lourdes wastewater treatment plant is located at Chemin du Bois, Lourdes, in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of Occitanie, France.
The plant serves approximately 82,000 people, classifying it as a medium-to-large agglomeration under EU standards.
The treated effluent is discharged into the Gave de Pau river, a tributary of the Adour River, which flows into the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean.
As a French plant serving over 10,000 people, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment and, in sensitive areas, tertiary treatment.
For agglomerations of this size, French regulations mandate at least secondary treatment. If the receiving water body is designated as sensitive, tertiary treatment for nutrient removal may be required.
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