SAINT GERMAIN DU PLAIN Bourg Wastewater Treatment Plant, Saint-Germain-du-Plain, France

SAINT GERMAIN DU PLAIN Bourg is a wastewater treatment plant located in the commune of Saint-Germain-du-Plain, within the Saône-et-Loire department of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France. The facility serves a small population of 826 residents and has a designed capacity of 2,500 cubic meters per day, with a current discharge volume of 147.36 m³/day, indicating low utilization relative to capacity. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) to protect sensitive receiving waters. As a French facility, it operates under national regulations transposing the directive, with permits issued by the local water agency (Agence de l'Eau). The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Saône River, a major tributary of the Rhône. The Rhône flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The plant's advanced treatment helps safeguard water quality in this river system, supporting aquatic life and downstream uses such as agriculture and drinking water supply.

The plant discharges into the Saône River basin, which flows into the Rhône River and then the Mediterranean Sea. The Saône is an ecologically important river supporting diverse fish species and migratory birds. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loads, protecting the river from eutrophication and maintaining water quality for downstream ecosystems.