Overview
Valergues wastewater treatment plant serves 2,200 people in Occitanie, France. It provides secondary treatment and discharges 392.48 m³/day, located within 10 km of the Mediterranean coast.
Valergues wastewater treatment plant is located in the commune of Valergues, part of the Montpellier metropolitan area in the Hérault department of Occitanie, southern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,200 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French and EU regulations. The facility 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 plant has a designed capacity of 4,000 m³/day and currently treats an average daily flow of 392.48 m³, indicating significant spare capacity for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the coastal lagoon system of the Étang de l'Or. This area supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological zone for migratory birds and fish species. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means its discharge can influence coastal water quality.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the drainage basin of the Étang de l'Or, a coastal lagoon connected to the Mediterranean Sea near Montpellier. This lagoon is an ecologically sensitive area that supports diverse aquatic life, including fish nurseries and migratory bird populations. The Mediterranean coastal environment is subject to nutrient enrichment pressures, making effective wastewater treatment critical for preserving water quality and marine biodiversity.
Frequently asked questions
The Valergues wastewater treatment plant is located in the commune of Valergues, in the Hérault department of Occitanie, southern France, near Montpellier.
The Valergues WWTP serves approximately 2,200 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under EU regulations.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the local watershed that drains into the Étang de l'Or coastal lagoon, which connects to the Mediterranean Sea.
The Valergues plant provides secondary treatment, meeting the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for its population size.
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 freshwater discharges. French national regulations implement this directive through local permitting and monitoring.
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