Page 29 - AWA Vol.42-No.6 issue

IRRIGATION

Inaugurates France's Largest Treated Wastewater Reuse

Installation for Agricultural Irrigation
At Argelès-sur-Mer, treated waste-
water has become a resource for
the future. In a department particu-
larly affected by drought, the Com-
munity of Communes Albères-Côte
Vermeille-Illibéris (CC ACVI) inau-
gurated on June 20 France's largest
treated wastewater reuse installation
for agricultural irrigation, designed
and implemented through Veolia's
unique expertise as the global leader
in water technologies.
"Resource scarcity represents a ma-
jor concern for municipal and indus-
trial stakeholders. These are imme-
diate challenges that raise questions
of quantity, quality and territorial
resilience. Thanks to this pioneering
project at Argelès-sur-Mer, every
cubic meter of water is now used tions, and supplies a drip irrigation ments, this project paves the way for
twice. Aligned with the preservation network covering just over 650 hect- more responsible, resilient and inno-
and resource regeneration objectives ares of agricultural land. Up to 1.3 vative water resource management,"
outlined in our Green Up strategic million cubic meters of wastewater declares Grégory MARTY, President
program, this state-of-the-art facility are recycled annually, equivalent to of the Community of Communes Al-
opens new perspectives for commu- a quarter of the community's annual bères-Côte Vermeille-Illibéris.
nities by demonstrating that concrete potable water withdrawals. An un- This pioneering achievement in
solutions can be deployed in support precedented performance at the na- France aligns with the Water Plan im-
of regional development and envi- tional level. plemented by the Government since
ronmental security," declares Sandra To achieve this, water is pumped March 2023, aimed at accelerating
Andreu, CEO of Water treatment and from the wastewater treatment plant the development of alternative wa-
valorization at Veolia.
outlet and redirected to the wastewa- ter resources to strengthen territorial
Awarded to Veolia following a de- ter reuse unit. It undergoes pre-fil- resilience against climate change. It
manding and ambitious competitive tration to protect downstream equip- targets 10% of treated water reuse in
bidding process, the project was de- ment, particularly against algae that France by 2030 through the devel-
signed, built and commissioned in may develop during summer months, opment of 1,000 recycling and reuse
accordance with the timeline estab- then ultrafiltration to ensure retention projects across the territory by 2027.
lished by the community. Since its of pollutants targeted by regulations. At a time when less than 1% of wa-
launch in April 2026, treated waste- 13,300 square meters of membranes, ter is recycled and reused in France
water from the territory — compris- equivalent to two rugby fields, are compared to nearly 15% in neighbor-
ing 15 municipalities with a perma- deployed within a 150-square-meter ing Spain, this major project opens
nent population of 56,000 residents facility. The water is then disinfected promising perspectives for French
and up to 200,000 during summer and conveyed to a storage tank be- communities facing the growing
months — is distributed to approxi- fore distribution. challenge of water scarcity.
mately sixty local farmers for irriga- "We are extremely proud to inau- Through its unique portfolio of in-
tion needs, particularly for vineyards gurate today France's first agricul- novative solutions, Veolia positions
and apricot orchards.
tural wastewater reuse project of this treated wastewater reuse as a con-
Through the unique ultrafiltration scale. By sustainably securing water crete and deployable solution, along-
membrane facility developed by Ve- access for a sector essential to our re- side solutions to combat network
olia, water from the reuse installation gion and preserving over one million leakage, solutions promoting water
achieves Category A status, the most cubic meters of water annually to re- conservation and, as a last resort, de-
stringent level under French regula- lieve already fragile natural environ- salination solutions. Circle 31 on enquiry card

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