Syndicat de la Belle Etoile Wastewater Treatment Plant, Roullée, France

Syndicat de la Belle Etoile is a wastewater treatment plant located in Roullée, within the Pays de la Loire region of France. The facility serves a population of approximately 3,930 people and operates with a designed capacity of 4,500 m³/day, discharging an average volume of 701.10 m³/day. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Under this directive, secondary treatment ensures the removal of biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids, meeting regulatory standards for discharge into freshwater bodies. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Sarthe River, a tributary of the Loire River. The Loire River flows into the Atlantic Ocean, making the plant's operations important for protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems and maintaining water quality in the region.

The plant discharges into the Sarthe River basin, which feeds into the Loire River, one of France's major rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. The Loire basin supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species such as Atlantic salmon and European eel. Effective wastewater treatment is crucial to prevent nutrient pollution and maintain the ecological health of this important river system.