SAINT MARTIN DU VIEUX BELLEME 2007 Wastewater Treatment Plant, Normandy, France

SAINT MARTIN DU VIEUX BELLEME 2007 is a wastewater treatment plant located in Saint-Martin-du-Vieux-Bellême, a commune in the Orne department of Normandy, France. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,255 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French and EU regulations. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 9,000 cubic meters per day and an average discharge volume of 580.69 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well within its capacity, ensuring effective treatment of wastewater. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Huisne River, a tributary of the Sarthe, and then into the Loire River before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Huisne River and downstream ecosystems, including the Loire estuary.

The plant discharges into the Huisne River basin, which flows into the Sarthe River, a major tributary of the Loire River. The Loire is one of France's longest rivers and supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species. The advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loads, protecting the river from eutrophication and preserving water quality for downstream communities and ecosystems.