SAINTE HERMINE Vendeopole Wastewater Treatment Plant, Saint-Jean-d'Hermine, France

SAINTE HERMINE Vendeopole is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Saint-Jean-d'Hermine, within the Vendée department of Pays de la Loire, France. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,015 residents and is part of the municipal wastewater infrastructure for the Sainte-Hermine area. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 3,200 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 716.27 m³/day, the plant operates well within its capacity. As a French facility, it operates under the European Union's Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires appropriate treatment levels based on the size of the agglomeration and the sensitivity of the receiving environment. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Atlantic Ocean via the Vendée River and the Bay of Biscay. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's water quality, supporting aquatic ecosystems, and maintaining the ecological balance of the downstream watershed.

The plant discharges into the local watershed, which flows into the Vendée River and eventually reaches the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean. The downstream environment includes estuarine and coastal habitats that support diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species. The advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading and protects the ecological integrity of the receiving waters.