Veolia and the Albères-Côte Vermeille-Illibéris Community of Municipalities (CCACVI) have started construction on a project to reuse treated wastewater in Argelès-sur-Mer. The facility’s annual goal is to reuse 1.3 million cubic meters of treated wastewater, which is equivalent to five months’ worth of potable water use in the region.
The project is the first to be supported by France’s hydraulic fund and is expected to start operations in April 2026. It is intended to alleviate the Eastern Pyrenees’ growing water resource problems, which have gotten worse since May 2022.
The municipal government has chosen Veolia to carry out the project. In order to achieve Category A water quality standards—the highest level permitted by French regulations—the company intends to construct a membrane ultrafiltration system. In order to lessen dependency on groundwater and drinking water supplies, the treated water will be used for drip irrigation across about 700 hectares of agricultural land, mostly fruit orchards.
As of right now, this project is France’s biggest proposed treated wastewater reuse project. It aims to balance the water requirements of the area for residential, agricultural, and tourism purposes, especially in the summer. Through resource management and water reuse, the initiative also reflects a localized attempt to adapt to climate-related challenges.
“Our ability to assist local authorities in their ecological transformation through creative and sustainable solutions is exemplified by this flagship project. The core of our GreenUp strategy plan is to use innovation to combat climate change by reducing pollution and reusing resources, protecting valuable freshwater resources in the process. Sandra Andreu, CEO of Veolia’s municipal water technologies operations in France, stated, “We are now able to assist communities in moving towards more resilient water resource management because of our unique technological expertise.”
“Reusing wastewater is an ambitious and practical solution to the drought that is plaguing our area. The preservation of our water supplies and the future of agriculture in our region depend on this effort. We have selected the best to meet these challenges. The president of the Albères-Côte Vermeille-Illibéris Community of Municipalities, Antoine Parra, stated, “This dynamic approach combining environmental and technological ambition is fully aligned with all project partners.”
Source : VEOLIA WATER TECHNOLOGIES
