SAINT BONNET EN CHAMPSAUR Wastewater Treatment Plant - Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur, France

The SAINT BONNET EN CHAMPSAUR wastewater treatment plant is located in the commune of Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur, within the Hautes-Alpes department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,850 residents and is situated in the ZAC du Moulin area, near the voie douce (greenway). As a secondary treatment facility, it plays a key role in managing municipal wastewater for this Alpine community. The plant has a designed capacity of 6,000 cubic meters per day and currently treats an average daily volume of 508.44 cubic meters, indicating ample reserve capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) between 2,000 and 10,000 are required to provide secondary treatment, which this plant meets. The facility's operational context aligns with French national regulations implementing the directive, ensuring compliance with European standards for wastewater treatment. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Drac River, a tributary of the Isère River, and then into the Rhône River before reaching the Mediterranean Sea. The plant's location in the Alpine region means it contributes to protecting sensitive mountain streams and downstream aquatic ecosystems. By maintaining secondary treatment, the facility helps preserve water quality in the Drac River basin, which supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional biodiversity.

The plant discharges into the Drac River watershed, which flows into the Isère River, a major tributary of the Rhône River that empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The Alpine setting means the receiving waters are sensitive to nutrient loading and pollution, supporting cold-water fish species and diverse macroinvertebrate communities. Secondary treatment reduces organic matter and suspended solids, protecting downstream habitats in the Drac and Isère rivers.