MELLE LOUBEAU Wastewater Treatment Plant, Melle, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

MELLE LOUBEAU is a wastewater treatment plant located in Melle, a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. The plant serves a population of around 7,181 people, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category under French regulations. As a French facility, the plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size discharging into freshwater. The directive also mandates appropriate treatment to protect the receiving environment, with tertiary treatment required in sensitive areas. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Atlantic Ocean via the Sèvre Niortaise river basin. This region supports diverse aquatic life and is part of the larger Loire-Brittany basin, contributing to the ecological health of downstream wetlands and coastal zones.

The plant discharges into the Sèvre Niortaise river system, which flows through the Marais Poitevin, one of France's largest wetlands, before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. This area is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse birdlife and aquatic species. The treatment plant plays a key role in protecting this downstream environment from nutrient pollution and organic load.