Overview
Villemolaque wastewater treatment plant in Occitanie, France, serves 3,124 people with secondary treatment. It discharges 557 m³/day and has a designed capacity of 5,000 m³/day.
The Villemolaque wastewater treatment plant is located in the commune of Villemolaque, in the Pyrénées-Orientales department of Occitanie, southern France. It serves a population of approximately 3,124 residents, classifying it as a small agglomeration under French and EU regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. Its designed capacity of 5,000 m³/day allows for future growth, while current discharge volume is 557 m³/day, indicating ample reserve capacity. Treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain toward the Mediterranean Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's rivers and coastal waters from nutrient pollution, supporting aquatic ecosystems and recreational water quality along the Gulf of Lion.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters small streams in the Pyrénées-Orientales that flow into the Têt River, which empties into the Mediterranean Sea near Perpignan. This coastal zone supports diverse marine life and is important for tourism and fishing. Secondary treatment reduces organic load and suspended solids, helping to prevent eutrophication in the sensitive coastal waters of the Gulf of Lion.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Villemolaque, a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department of Occitanie, southern France, near the Spanish border.
The plant serves approximately 3,124 residents, making it a small agglomeration under EU classification.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for discharges to freshwater from communities of this size.
As a French plant serving fewer than 10,000 people, it must comply with the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for all freshwater discharges from agglomerations above 2,000 population equivalent.
The plant has a designed capacity of 5,000 m³ per day, which is well above the current average discharge of 557 m³ per day, allowing for future population growth.
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