Overview
ST GENIES DES MOURGUES is a secondary treatment plant serving 810 people in Saint-Geniès-des-Mourgues, Occitanie, France. It discharges 144.50 m³/day of treated wastewater near the Mediterranean coast.
ST GENIES DES MOURGUES wastewater treatment plant serves the commune of Saint-Geniès-des-Mourgues in the Hérault department of Occitanie, southern France. The plant provides secondary treatment for a population equivalent of 810, with a designed capacity of 1800 m³/day and an average daily flow of 144.50 m³/day. As a small agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), the plant is required to provide secondary treatment, which it meets. The directive also mandates appropriate treatment for discharges into sensitive areas, though the plant's coastal proximity may subject it to additional requirements under French regulations. The plant is located within 10 km of the Mediterranean coast, meaning its treated effluent ultimately reaches the sea. The local watershed drains into the Gulf of Lion, supporting coastal ecosystems and marine biodiversity. The region's Mediterranean climate influences seasonal flow variations, and the plant plays a role in protecting coastal water quality.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a watershed that drains to the Mediterranean Sea via the Gulf of Lion. The coastal zone supports diverse marine life, including seagrass meadows and fish nurseries, and is an important area for migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads to the coastal environment, mitigating eutrophication risks in the sensitive marine ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Saint-Geniès-des-Mourgues, a commune in the Hérault department of Occitanie, southern France, near Montpellier.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 810 people.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the local watershed, which ultimately reaches the Mediterranean Sea via the Gulf of Lion.
As a small agglomeration (under 2,000 population equivalent), the plant is required to provide secondary treatment under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). Its coastal location may also require additional treatment to protect sensitive marine areas.
In France, small agglomerations typically use secondary treatment processes such as activated sludge or biological filters. The EU directive mandates secondary treatment for all discharges from agglomerations above 2,000 PE, but smaller plants like this one are still expected to meet national standards for environmental protection.
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