SAINT HILAIRE DU HARCOUET Wastewater Treatment Plant, Normandy, France

The SAINT HILAIRE DU HARCOUET wastewater treatment plant is located in Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët, Normandy, France. It serves a population of approximately 14,350, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under French and EU regulations. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and its treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately flow into the English Channel. As a French wastewater facility serving over 10,000 people, the plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in thousands of cubic meters per day or similar unit), indicating it is sized to handle the wastewater from its service area. Compliance with French national regulations ensures that treatment standards are met to protect receiving waters. The plant discharges into the local watershed, which drains into the Sélune River and then into the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, a ecologically significant area in the English Channel. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish species. The plant's operation helps maintain water quality in this sensitive coastal ecosystem.

The plant discharges into the Sélune River basin, which flows into the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, a major tidal estuary on the English Channel coast. This area is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse marine and bird life, and is an important stopover for migratory birds. The treatment plant's effluent contributes to the overall water quality of the river system, which ultimately reaches the sea.