MORANCE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Les Chères, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

MORANCE is a wastewater treatment plant located in Les Chères, a commune in the Rhône department of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,576 and has a designed capacity of 5,500 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 281.16 m³/day. It operates under the French regulatory framework, which implements the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this scale. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, ensuring a high level of pollutant removal before discharge. As a small agglomeration (under 2,000 population equivalent), it is subject to appropriate treatment requirements under French law, which typically mandates secondary or equivalent treatment for inland freshwater discharges. The treated effluent is discharged into the local water environment, likely the Azergues River, which flows into the Saône River and eventually the Rhône River. This watercourse is part of the larger Rhône basin, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing water for agricultural and recreational uses downstream.

The plant discharges into the Azergues River, a tributary of the Saône River, which joins the Rhône River near Lyon. The Rhône is a major European river that flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish species such as the European eel and various cyprinids. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect water quality in this ecologically sensitive river system.