SAINT HEAND Bourg Wastewater Treatment Plant, Saint-Héand, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

SAINT HEAND Bourg is a wastewater treatment plant located in Saint-Héand, a commune in the Loire department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,346 people and is part of the municipal infrastructure managed by the local authority. It is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and treats wastewater from the surrounding community. 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. With a designed capacity of 3,500 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 418.52 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. The advanced treatment level ensures high-quality effluent suitable for discharge into sensitive environments. The treated wastewater is discharged into local water bodies that eventually drain into the Loire River basin, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a crucial role in protecting the local watershed and downstream ecosystems, including the Loire River, which supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor in western Europe.

The plant discharges into the Loire River basin, which flows through central France before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The Loire is one of the last wild rivers in Europe, supporting diverse aquatic species and migratory fish. The advanced treatment helps protect this sensitive ecosystem from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.