TOURVES Wastewater Treatment Plant, Tourves, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France

The TOURVES wastewater treatment plant is located in Tourves, a commune in the Var department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, southeastern France. The facility serves a population of approximately 3,510 residents and is part of the region's municipal wastewater infrastructure. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 3,600 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 626.18 m³/day, the plant operates well within its capacity. Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), plants serving agglomerations of this size are required to provide secondary treatment, and the advanced level here exceeds that standard. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the Argens River basin. The plant's location more than 10 km from the coast reduces direct marine impact, but its discharge contributes to the overall water quality of the region's rivers and coastal areas, which support diverse aquatic life and are important for tourism and recreation.

The plant discharges into the Argens River basin, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea near Fréjus. The downstream environment includes the Argens River, which supports diverse aquatic species and is an important corridor for migratory fish. The coastal zone is ecologically sensitive, with seagrass meadows and marine habitats that benefit from controlled nutrient loads.