Overview
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Jean-Marc BERLAND: Doctorate in Environmental Sciences and Techniques from the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (France) - Senior Project Manager, International Office for Water– Limoges – France
INTRODUCTION
The Council Directive of May 21, 1991 concerning urban waste water treatment (91/271/EEC), also known as the Urban Waste Water Directive (UWWWD), aims to protect the environment from pollution by waste water from agglomerations. It requires EU member states to collect and treat their urban wastewater before discharging it into the natural environment.
The main requirements of the directive are as follows:
wastewater collection and treatment: towns of all sizes are required to install wastewater collection systems. Alternative methods, such as autonomous sanitation, are authorized when justified by the situation;
treatment standards: the directive sets performance standards for urban wastewater treatment plants (UWWTPs), depending on the size of agglomerations and the sensitivity of the areas receiving treated water;
advanced treatment for sensitive areas: wastewater discharged into sensitive areas, such as eutrophic zones or areas where water quality is of particular importance, requires more advanced treatment;
monitoring and reporting: Member States are required to monitor the quality of receiving and treated waters, as well as the efficiency of treatment systems. They are also required to report regularly to the European Commission on progress made in implementing the directive.
For France, as for other member states, applying and complying with this directive means investing in wastewater treatment and collection infrastructures, carrying out regular checks and adapting national legislation to European requirements. The major challenges currently facing France include improving existing systems, reducing untreated water discharges during exceptional rainfall events, and developing sustainable solutions tailored to specific local conditions.
Non-compliance with the directive can expose member states to infringement proceedings and substantial fines imposed by the European Commission.
This article is part of a set of three articles presenting the various wastewater treatment techniques that can be used to meet the requirements of the ERU Directive.
Wastewater treatment involves a variety of techniques, from the most traditional to the most advanced, each with its own specific features and application contexts.
This section covers
physico-chemical treatments ;
intensive biological treatment techniques.
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Urban wastewater treatment
Bibliography
Websites
Ateliers d'Occitanie – Wastewater and effluent treatment
https://www.ateliers-occitanie.fr/traitement-eaux-usees-effluents/
Eaufrance – The public water information service
...Standards and norms
- Wastewater treatment plants – Part 1: General principles of construction: specifies the general principles of design, construction and installation of technical equipment for wastewater treatment plants. - NF EN 12255-1 - avril 2002
- Wastewater treatment plants – Part 3: Pretreatments: specifies applications, procedures and performance requirements for raw wastewater pretreatments. - NF EN 12255-3 - avril 2001 ...
Regulations
Directive no. 91/271/EEC of May 21, 1991 concerning urban waste-water treatment.
Law no. 92-3 of January 3, 1992 on water.
Decree no. 94-469 of June 3, 1994 on wastewater collection and treatment. Repealed by Decree n°2000-318 of April 7, 2000.
Décret n° 2006-503 du 2 mai 2006 relatif à la collecte et au traitement des eaux usées mentionnées aux articles...
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