VERTUS Wastewater Treatment Plant, Blancs-Coteaux, Grand Est, France

VERTUS is a wastewater treatment plant located in Blancs-Coteaux, in the Grand Est region of France. It serves a population of approximately 4,000 people, making it a small agglomeration under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The plant is situated in the Marne department, an area known for its agricultural and champagne production. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU UWWTD for agglomerations of this size. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) to protect sensitive water bodies. The plant has a designed capacity of 3,500 m³/day and currently discharges 713.59 m³/day, indicating significant spare capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Marne River, a major tributary of the Seine. The Seine basin supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor in northern France. The advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting downstream water quality in the Seine and eventually the English Channel.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Marne River, a key tributary of the Seine. The Seine basin is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse fish populations and serving as a migratory corridor for species such as Atlantic salmon. Advanced treatment at VERTUS helps minimize nutrient pollution, which is critical for preventing eutrophication in the Seine estuary and the English Channel.