OUZOUER SUR LOIRE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ouzouer-sur-Loire, France

OUZOUER SUR LOIRE is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Ouzouer-sur-Loire, a commune in the Loiret department of Centre-Val de Loire, France. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,788 residents and is part of the region's municipal wastewater infrastructure. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 3,300 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 675.77 m³/day, the facility operates well within its capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), plants serving agglomerations of this size are required to provide secondary treatment, but the advanced level here indicates a higher standard, likely due to the sensitivity of the receiving environment. The treated effluent is discharged into the Loire River basin, which flows through central France and ultimately into the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Loire, a major river that supports diverse aquatic life and is used for drinking water, agriculture, and recreation. Its advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and safeguard downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into the Loire River basin, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Loire estuary. The Loire is one of France's longest rivers and supports a rich diversity of fish species, including Atlantic salmon and European eel. The advanced treatment level helps minimize nutrient pollution, protecting the river's ecological health and downstream coastal waters from eutrophication.