VATAN Moulin du pont Wastewater Treatment Plant, Saint-Florentin, France

VATAN Moulin du pont is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Saint-Florentin, within the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. The facility serves a population of approximately 1,981 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French and EU regulations. Its designed capacity of 3,333 m³/day indicates it is sized to accommodate future growth or seasonal variations in flow. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) to protect sensitive receiving waters. As a French facility, it operates under national regulations that transpose the EU directive, with oversight from local water agencies. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the Loire River basin. The Loire is one of France's major rivers, flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. The advanced treatment helps protect the ecological health of the downstream environment, supporting aquatic life and water quality in the region.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Loire River, which flows through the Centre-Val de Loire region before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The Loire basin supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including migratory fish species such as Atlantic salmon and European eel. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing eutrophication in downstream waters and maintaining the ecological balance of the river system.