Villaines-la-Juhel Wastewater Treatment Plant - Pays de la Loire, France

The Villaines-la-Juhel wastewater treatment plant is located in the commune of Villaines-la-Juhel in the Mayenne department of Pays de la Loire, France. It serves a population of approximately 3,800 residents and is part of the region's municipal wastewater infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 5,400 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 677.91 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the Mayenne River, a tributary of the Loire River. The Loire basin supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and is an important ecological corridor in western France.

The plant discharges into the Mayenne River watershed, which flows into the Loire River and eventually reaches the Atlantic Ocean. The Loire basin is ecologically significant, supporting diverse fish populations and migratory species. The region's agricultural landscape influences nutrient loads, making secondary treatment important for protecting downstream water quality.