OSSEJA PALAU2 Wastewater Treatment Plant, Palau-de-Cerdagne, France

OSSEJA PALAU2 is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Palau-de-Cerdagne, a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department of Occitanie, southern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,707 and has a design capacity of 7,500 m³/day, with a reported discharge volume of 482.92 m³/day. As an advanced treatment facility, OSSEJA PALAU2 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 scale (2,000-10,000 population equivalent), the directive requires secondary treatment, but France often mandates advanced treatment in sensitive areas like the Pyrenees region. The plant discharges treated wastewater into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the Têt River system. The Pyrenees region is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a critical water source for downstream communities and agriculture.

The plant is located in the Pyrenees mountains, within the Têt River basin. Treated effluent flows into local streams that feed the Têt River, which travels eastward through the Roussillon plain before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea near Perpignan. This watershed supports sensitive aquatic ecosystems, including populations of European eel and other migratory fish species. The advanced treatment helps protect water quality in this ecologically important region.