CAYENNE Gendarmerie de la Madeleine Wastewater Treatment Plant, Cayenne, French Guiana

CAYENNE Gendarmerie de la Madeleine is a wastewater treatment facility located in Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana, an overseas department of France. The plant serves a small population of 500 people, reflecting its role in treating wastewater from a localized area, likely a military or administrative compound. It is situated near the coast, within 10 km of the Atlantic Ocean, which influences its operational and environmental considerations. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for sensitive areas. With a design capacity of 500 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 89.20 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating potential for future growth or seasonal variations. As a French overseas territory, the plant adheres to French and EU regulations, ensuring high treatment standards to protect the surrounding environment. The treated effluent is discharged into the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean, near the mouth of the Cayenne River. This area supports diverse marine life, including mangroves and estuaries that serve as critical habitats for fish and crustaceans. The advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading and pollution, safeguarding the ecological health of the coastal zone and downstream marine ecosystems.

The plant discharges treated wastewater into the Atlantic Ocean near Cayenne, French Guiana. The coastal waters are part of the Amazon-Orinoco-Guianas marine ecoregion, characterized by mangroves, estuaries, and high biodiversity. The advanced treatment reduces the risk of eutrophication and protects sensitive habitats such as seagrass beds and coral reefs that support local fisheries and migratory species.