VIC FEZENSAC Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vic-Fezensac, Occitanie

VIC FEZENSAC is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Vic-Fezensac, a commune in the Gers department of the Occitanie region in southwestern France. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,200 residents, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category under French and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for discharges into freshwater bodies. With a designed capacity of 4,500 cubic meters per day and an average discharge volume of 749 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Gers River, a tributary of the Garonne River. The Garonne flows into the Gironde estuary and ultimately the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Gers River, which supports diverse aquatic life and is used for irrigation and recreation in the region.

The plant discharges into the Gers River basin, a sub-basin of the Garonne River. The Garonne flows through southwestern France into the Gironde estuary, a major ecological zone supporting migratory fish species such as Atlantic salmon and European eel. The watershed is predominantly agricultural, with vineyards and crops, making nutrient removal from wastewater important to prevent eutrophication in downstream waters.