TARSACQ INTERCOMMUNALE Wastewater Treatment Plant, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

TARSACQ INTERCOMMUNALE is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Tarsacq, a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,800 and is designed to handle up to 4,300 m³ of wastewater per day, with an average discharge volume of 680 m³/day. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. As a French facility, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires appropriate treatment levels based on the sensitivity of receiving waters. For small agglomerations like Tarsacq, advanced treatment ensures compliance with stringent environmental standards. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Adour River basin and then into the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean). The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's aquatic ecosystems, including the Gave de Pau river system, which supports diverse freshwater species and is important for regional biodiversity.

The plant discharges into the Gave de Pau river, a tributary of the Adour River, which flows into the Bay of Biscay. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish species such as salmon and eels. The advanced treatment level helps minimize nutrient loading and protects downstream water quality in this ecologically sensitive region.