ORNE VALLEE DE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Richemont, Grand Est, France

ORNE VALLEE DE is a wastewater treatment plant located in Richemont, within the Grand Est region of France. The facility serves a population of approximately 65,800, classifying it as a medium to large agglomeration under European Union regulations. It is situated near the Moselle River, which flows through the industrial and urban landscape of northeastern France. As a plant operating under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), ORNE VALLEE DE is required to meet specific treatment standards based on its population equivalent. For agglomerations of this scale, secondary treatment is mandatory, and tertiary treatment may be required if the receiving water body is designated as a sensitive area. The plant's treatment processes and capacity are aligned with these regulatory requirements to ensure compliance with environmental standards. The treated effluent from ORNE VALLEE DE is discharged into the local watershed, ultimately draining into the Moselle River. The Moselle flows northward through Luxembourg and Germany before joining the Rhine River, a major European waterway. The plant plays a crucial role in protecting the water quality of the Moselle and Rhine basins, supporting aquatic ecosystems and downstream communities.

The plant discharges into the Moselle River, a tributary of the Rhine River, which flows through the Grand Est region and into Germany. The Moselle supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish species. The Rhine basin is ecologically sensitive, with efforts to reduce nutrient pollution and improve water quality under the EU Water Framework Directive.