Overview
VARILHES nouvelle is a secondary wastewater treatment plant in Varilhes, Occitanie, France, serving about 2,980 people. It has a designed capacity of 4,000 m³/day and discharges 531.63 m³/day of treated effluent.
VARILHES nouvelle is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Varilhes, a commune in the Ariège department of Occitanie, southern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,980 people and is designed to handle up to 4,000 m³ of wastewater per day, with an average daily discharge of 531.63 m³. 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. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, ensuring the effluent meets quality standards before discharge. The treated water is released into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Ariège River and then the Garonne River, flowing toward the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of these rivers and the downstream ecosystems, including the Garonne estuary and the Bay of Biscay.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Ariège River basin, which flows into the Garonne River and eventually reaches the Atlantic Ocean via the Gironde estuary. The Ariège River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important water resource for the region. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, mitigating eutrophication risks in downstream waters.
Frequently asked questions
VARILHES nouvelle is located in Varilhes, a commune in the Ariège department of Occitanie, southern France. The plant's address is Chemin de Campestre, Lagréou, Varilhes.
The plant serves approximately 2,980 people, making it a small agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which flows into the Ariège River, then the Garonne River, and ultimately reaches the Atlantic Ocean.
VARILHES nouvelle provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for agglomerations of this size.
As a French plant, VARILHES nouvelle operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for small agglomerations and sets effluent quality standards.
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