MONTAUT Wastewater Treatment Plant, Montaut, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

The MONTAUT wastewater treatment plant is located in Montaut, a commune in the Landes department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. The facility serves a population of 2,270 and has a designed capacity of 2,400 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 404.96 m³/day. As an advanced treatment plant, MONTAUT goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants, meeting stringent standards under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For agglomerations of this size (2,270 PE), the directive requires appropriate treatment, and France's national regulations often mandate advanced treatment in sensitive areas to protect water quality. The plant discharges treated effluent into local watercourses that drain into the Adour River basin, ultimately reaching the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean. The surrounding region features a mix of agricultural and forested landscapes, and the plant plays a key role in protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.

The MONTAUT plant discharges into the Adour River basin, which flows through southwestern France before emptying into the Bay of Biscay. This coastal watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species such as salmon and eels. The advanced treatment provided by the plant helps reduce nutrient loads that could otherwise contribute to eutrophication in the estuary and coastal waters, preserving the ecological health of the downstream environment.