France's largest agricultural wastewater reuse project goes live in drought-hit southCredit: VeoliaA treated wastewater reuse installation descr...
Published by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network
France's largest agricultural wastewater reuse project goes live in drought-hit south
Credit: Veolia
A treated wastewater reuse installation described as the largest of its kind in France for agricultural irrigation has been inaugurated in Argelès-sur-Mer, in the Pyrénées-Orientales department, one of the regions most affected by drought in recent years.
The facility, built and operated by Veolia for the Community of Communes Albères-Côte Vermeille-Illibéris (CC ACVI), has been in operation since April 2026 and was formally inaugurated on 20 June. It serves a territory of 15 municipalities with a permanent population of around 56,000, rising to 200,000 during the summer tourist season.
Treated wastewater is pumped from the outlet of the wastewater treatment plant and passed through a two-stage process: pre-filtration to remove algae and protect downstream equipment, followed by ultrafiltration across 13,300 square metres of membranes housed in a 150-square-metre facility. The water is then disinfected and held in a storage tank before distribution. This process brings it to Category A status, the highest quality level for reuse under French regulations.
The project sits within the context of France's Water Plan, launched in March 2023, which targets 10% treated water reuse nationally by 2030 and the development of 1,000 reuse projects by 2027
The treated water is supplied via a drip irrigation network covering more than 650 hectares, reaching approximately 60 local farmers who use it primarily for vineyards and apricot orchards. The installation can recycle up to 1.3 million cubic metres annually, equivalent to around a quarter of the community's total potable water withdrawals.
SOURCE: https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/smart-water-magazine/frances-largest-agricultural-wastewater-reuse-project-goes-live-drought
Credit: Veolia
A treated wastewater reuse installation described as the largest of its kind in France for agricultural irrigation has been inaugurated in Argelès-sur-Mer, in the Pyrénées-Orientales department, one of the regions most affected by drought in recent years.
The facility, built and operated by Veolia for the Community of Communes Albères-Côte Vermeille-Illibéris (CC ACVI), has been in operation since April 2026 and was formally inaugurated on 20 June. It serves a territory of 15 municipalities with a permanent population of around 56,000, rising to 200,000 during the summer tourist season.
Treated wastewater is pumped from the outlet of the wastewater treatment plant and passed through a two-stage process: pre-filtration to remove algae and protect downstream equipment, followed by ultrafiltration across 13,300 square metres of membranes housed in a 150-square-metre facility. The water is then disinfected and held in a storage tank before distribution. This process brings it to Category A status, the highest quality level for reuse under French regulations.
The project sits within the context of France's Water Plan, launched in March 2023, which targets 10% treated water reuse nationally by 2030 and the development of 1,000 reuse projects by 2027
The treated water is supplied via a drip irrigation network covering more than 650 hectares, reaching approximately 60 local farmers who use it primarily for vineyards and apricot orchards. The installation can recycle up to 1.3 million cubic metres annually, equivalent to around a quarter of the community's total potable water withdrawals.
SOURCE: https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/smart-water-magazine/frances-largest-agricultural-wastewater-reuse-project-goes-live-drought
Tags
- Water Reuse & Recycling
- Industrial Water Reuse
- Smart Water
- water reuse - regulations and permitting
- water treatment
- Water and Wastewater
- France