Overview
ST LAURENT MEDOC is a secondary treatment plant serving 2,215 people in Saint-Laurent-Médoc, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It discharges treated wastewater near the Atlantic coast, operating under EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive standards.
ST LAURENT MEDOC is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Saint-Laurent-Médoc, a commune in the Gironde department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. The plant serves a population of 2,215, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU regulations. Its address is Rue de Loustalot, Loustauneuf, La Mothe, Saint-Laurent-Médoc, within the Lesparre-Médoc area. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. The designed capacity is 4,500 cubic meters per day, and the current discharge volume is approximately 395 cubic meters per day, indicating ample reserve capacity. The facility is situated within 10 kilometers of the Atlantic coast, making it a coastal plant with potential marine discharge implications. Treated effluent from the plant ultimately reaches the Atlantic Ocean via local waterways, likely through the Gironde estuary or direct coastal outfall. The region's coastal and estuarine environments support diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species. The plant's operation is critical to protecting these sensitive ecosystems from nutrient pollution and pathogens, in line with French and EU water quality standards.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the coastal watershed of the Gironde estuary and the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean). This area is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse marine and estuarine habitats, including nursery grounds for fish and migratory bird routes. Secondary treatment reduces organic load and suspended solids, helping to prevent eutrophication and maintain water quality in the downstream coastal environment.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located at Rue de Loustalot, Loustauneuf, La Mothe, Saint-Laurent-Médoc, in the Gironde department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.
The plant serves a population of 2,215 people in the Saint-Laurent-Médoc area.
The plant discharges treated effluent into local waterways that flow toward the Atlantic Ocean, likely via the Gironde estuary or a coastal outfall, given its proximity to the coast.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for agglomerations of this size discharging into freshwater or coastal areas.
As a French plant serving fewer than 10,000 people, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for such agglomerations. French authorities enforce compliance through national permits and monitoring.
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