Overview
SORNETAN SOUBOZ is a secondary treatment plant in Petit-Val, Bern, Switzerland, serving 167 people. It discharges 75.81 m³/day of treated wastewater into the local watershed.
SORNETAN SOUBOZ is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Petit-Val, within the Bern canton of Switzerland. It serves a small population of 167 residents, reflecting its role in a rural alpine community. The plant is situated in the Jura bernois region, an area characterized by rolling hills and forested landscapes. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 300 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 75.81 m³/day, it operates well below its capacity. Under Swiss water protection law (Gewässerschutzgesetz), small plants like this must meet national effluent standards, which align with the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for sensitive areas. The treated effluent is discharged into a local stream that feeds into the Suze River, which flows through the Jura mountains and eventually into the Rhine River basin. The Rhine carries water to the North Sea, making this plant part of a transboundary water system. The surrounding environment supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional biodiversity.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a small tributary of the Suze River, which flows through the Jura region and joins the Rhine River near Basel. The Rhine ultimately drains into the North Sea. The local watershed is ecologically sensitive, supporting fish species such as brown trout and providing habitat for amphibians and invertebrates. The area's karst geology means groundwater protection is critical, as surface water and groundwater are closely connected.
Frequently asked questions
SORNETAN SOUBOZ is located in Petit-Val, in the Bern canton of Switzerland, near the village of Sornetan in the Jura bernois region.
The plant serves a small population of 167 residents, typical of a rural community in the Swiss Jura mountains.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local stream that flows into the Suze River, part of the Rhine River basin, which ultimately reaches the North Sea.
SORNETAN SOUBOZ provides secondary treatment, which uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting Swiss national standards for small wastewater plants.
Switzerland's Water Protection Act requires all wastewater plants to meet strict effluent standards. For small plants like SORNETAN SOUBOZ, secondary treatment is typically sufficient to protect receiving waters, and compliance is enforced by cantonal authorities.
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