VALEYRES SOUS URSINS Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vaud, Switzerland

VALEYRES SOUS URSINS is a wastewater treatment plant located in the municipality of Valeyres-sous-Ursins, within the Jura-Nord vaudois district of Vaud, Switzerland. The plant serves a small population of 294 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. It is situated at Rue de la Niauquaz, in the heart of the Swiss countryside. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond the secondary treatment standard required by Swiss regulations for smaller agglomerations. With a design capacity of 688 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 133.45 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. Swiss wastewater treatment is governed by the Federal Water Protection Act (GSchG), which mandates high standards for nutrient removal and effluent quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that eventually drain into the Rhone basin, contributing to the broader hydrological network of western Switzerland. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream aquatic ecosystems, including the Rhone River and Lake Geneva, by reducing nutrient loads and pollutants. This supports biodiversity and water quality in a region known for its lakes and rivers.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Orbe River, a tributary of the Rhone. The Rhone ultimately drains into Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) and then continues to the Mediterranean Sea. The advanced treatment ensures minimal nutrient and pollutant loading, protecting the sensitive aquatic habitats of the Rhone basin, which supports diverse fish populations and migratory birds.