Viel Moulin Wastewater Treatment Plant, Sennecey-le-Grand, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

Viel Moulin is an advanced wastewater treatment plant located in Sennecey-le-Grand, within the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of France. The plant serves a population of 2,305 and has a designed capacity of 3,000 m³/day, with an average discharge volume of 411.21 m³/day. It operates under the French regulatory framework, which implements the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The plant employs advanced treatment processes, ensuring a high level of pollutant removal. For a small agglomeration of this size, the EU directive requires secondary treatment, but the plant exceeds this standard with advanced treatment. This reflects France's commitment to protecting sensitive water bodies and meeting stringent environmental standards. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Saône River, a major tributary of the Rhône. The Rhône flows into the Mediterranean Sea, making the plant's performance important for downstream aquatic ecosystems and coastal water quality. The advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protect biodiversity in the region.

Viel Moulin discharges treated wastewater into the Saône River basin, which flows into the Rhône River and eventually the Mediterranean Sea. The Saône is an ecologically important river supporting diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as pike and perch. The advanced treatment at Viel Moulin helps minimize nutrient pollution, which is critical for preventing eutrophication in downstream waters and maintaining the ecological health of the Rhône delta and coastal Mediterranean habitats.