Vugelles La Mothe Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vaud, Switzerland

Vugelles La Mothe is a wastewater treatment plant located in the village of Vugelles, part of the municipality of Vugelles-La Mothe in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. The plant serves a small population of approximately 185 residents, reflecting the rural character of the area. It is situated in the Jura-Nord vaudois district, near the border with France. The facility provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under Swiss wastewater regulations. With a designed capacity of 433 m³/day and an average daily discharge of about 84 m³, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating sufficient headroom for current demand. Swiss plants of this scale are typically regulated by cantonal authorities under the Federal Water Protection Act (Gewässerschutzgesetz). The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that ultimately drain into the Orbe River, a tributary of the Rhone basin. The Rhone flows through Lake Geneva and into the Mediterranean Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the sensitive aquatic ecosystems of the Jura region, which support diverse freshwater species and contribute to the overall water quality of the Rhone watershed.

The plant discharges into small watercourses that feed the Orbe River, part of the Rhone basin. The Rhone flows through Lake Geneva before reaching the Mediterranean Sea. The Jura region's streams support diverse aquatic life, including brown trout and other cold-water species. Protecting these waters from nutrient pollution is critical for maintaining ecological balance in the downstream lake and river systems.