Villemur-sur-Tarn Wastewater Treatment Plant, Occitanie, France

The Villemur-sur-Tarn wastewater treatment plant is located in Villemur-sur-Tarn, a commune in the Haute-Garonne department of Occitanie, southern France. It serves a population of approximately 4,900 people, making it a small agglomeration under French and EU classifications. The plant is situated on the Tarn River, a major tributary of the Garonne. The facility employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a design capacity of 3,500 m³/day and an average daily discharge of 873 m³, the plant operates well within its capacity, ensuring effective treatment of municipal wastewater. Treated effluent is discharged into the Tarn River, which flows into the Garonne and eventually reaches the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Tarn and downstream ecosystems, including the Garonne, which supports diverse aquatic life and is an important resource for the region.

The plant discharges into the Tarn River, a major tributary of the Garonne River. The Garonne flows into the Gironde estuary, one of the largest estuaries in Europe, before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The Tarn and Garonne rivers support diverse aquatic ecosystems, including migratory fish species such as salmon and eels. The advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, protecting downstream water quality and ecological health.