MARCOING Wastewater Treatment Plant, Marcoing, Hauts-de-France

The MARCOING wastewater treatment plant is located in the commune of Marcoing, within the Nord department of the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It serves a population of approximately 2,226 residents, making it a small-scale municipal facility. The plant is situated on Rue de la Liberté, near the Canal de Saint-Quentin, which is a key waterway in the region. The plant operates with advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity is 4,667 m³/day, with a current discharge volume of 397.11 m³/day, indicating ample reserve capacity. As a French facility, it is subject to national regulations transposing EU directives, overseen by the local water agency (Agence de l'Eau Artois-Picardie). The treated effluent is discharged into the local hydrographic network, which ultimately drains into the Scheldt River basin. The Scheldt flows through northern France and Belgium before reaching the North Sea. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the sensitive aquatic ecosystems of the Scheldt basin, which support diverse fish populations and migratory birds.

The plant discharges into the Canal de Saint-Quentin, part of the Scheldt River basin. The Scheldt flows northward through France and Belgium, eventually reaching the North Sea near Antwerp. This watershed supports a variety of aquatic life, including fish species such as pike and roach, and provides important habitat for waterfowl. The advanced treatment level helps reduce nutrient loading and protect downstream water quality in this ecologically sensitive region.