VERMAND Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vermand, Hauts-de-France

VERMAND is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in the commune of Vermand, within the Aisne department of the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. The plant serves a population of about 3,973, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French and EU regulations. Its designed capacity is 5,850 m³/day, with a current discharge volume of 708.78 m³/day, indicating significant spare capacity. 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 transposing the EU directive, with permits issued by the local prefecture or water agency. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the Somme River basin and then into the English Channel. The Hauts-de-France region features a mix of agricultural and urban landscapes, and the plant plays a key role in maintaining water quality in the Somme watershed, which supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional ecology.

The plant discharges into a local tributary of the Somme River, which flows westward through the Hauts-de-France region before entering the English Channel via the Somme estuary. The Somme basin is ecologically significant, supporting migratory fish species and wetland habitats. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loads that could otherwise contribute to eutrophication in the estuary and coastal waters.