PICAUVILLE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Les Moitiers-en-Bauptois, Normandy

PICAUVILLE is a wastewater treatment plant located in Les Moitiers-en-Bauptois, a commune in the Manche department of Normandy, France. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,300 people and operates under the regulatory framework of the European Union's Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The plant provides secondary treatment, which typically involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 2,700 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 410.32 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the English Channel. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's water quality, supporting aquatic life in the downstream rivers and coastal waters of the Cotentin Peninsula.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Douve River, which meanders through the Cotentin marshes before reaching the English Channel near Carentan. This area is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as an important habitat for migratory birds. The secondary treatment provided by the plant helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, protecting the downstream estuarine and coastal ecosystems.