SAINT GERMAIN DU PUCH HAMEAU DE SALES Wastewater Treatment Plant, Saint-Germain-du-Puch, France

SAINT GERMAIN DU PUCH HAMEAU DE SALES is a wastewater treatment plant located in the hamlet of Sales, within the commune of Saint-Germain-du-Puch in the Gironde department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. The plant serves a small population of 38 residents, reflecting its role in a rural setting. It is situated near the town of Libourne, about 30 km east of Bordeaux. The plant provides 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 directive mandates secondary treatment for all discharges from agglomerations with a population equivalent (PE) above 2,000, but smaller plants like this one are typically subject to national regulations that align with the directive's principles. The plant has a designed capacity of 70 m³/day and discharges a volume of 6.78 m³/day, indicating it operates well below its capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Dordogne River via smaller streams. The Dordogne flows westward to join the Garonne and form the Gironde estuary, a major ecological and economic waterway. The plant's location in a rural, agricultural area means its discharge contributes to maintaining water quality in the region's sensitive aquatic ecosystems.

The plant discharges into the local drainage network that feeds into the Dordogne River, a major watercourse in southwestern France. The Dordogne flows into the Gironde estuary, which is the largest estuary in Western Europe and a critical habitat for migratory fish such as Atlantic salmon and European eel. The estuary supports diverse aquatic life and is an important nursery for marine species. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect these downstream environments from nutrient pollution and organic matter, which could otherwise lead to eutrophication in the estuary.