SAINT ARMEL le querlo Wastewater Treatment Plant, Saint-Armel, Brittany

SAINT ARMEL le querlo is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Saint-Armel, a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany, France. The plant serves a population of 1,220 and operates secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. The plant has a designed capacity of 1,950 m³/day and currently discharges 217.65 m³/day of treated effluent. As a facility serving fewer than 2,000 people, it falls under the EU directive's smaller agglomeration category, which mandates appropriate treatment to protect receiving waters. The plant is situated within 10 km of the coast, indicating its discharge may influence coastal water quality. The treated effluent likely flows into local watercourses that drain into the Gulf of Morbihan, a semi-enclosed marine basin known for its rich biodiversity and shellfish farming. The Gulf ultimately connects to the Atlantic Ocean. The plant's proximity to this ecologically sensitive area underscores the importance of its secondary treatment in reducing organic load and protecting marine habitats.

The plant discharges into local streams that feed into the Gulf of Morbihan, a coastal inlet on the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf is a vital ecosystem supporting seagrass beds, migratory birds, and shellfish aquaculture. Secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, safeguarding water quality in this sensitive marine environment.