2012-12-28 13:57:36
Wastewater is mainly of domestic origin, but a more or less significant part can be of industrial origin, depending on the local industrial fabric. Given its composition (presence of pathogenic microorganisms and/or chemical substances presenting risks to human health), this water is collected and treated before its release into the natural environment. Most often these wastes are collected, transported and treated in wastewater treatment plants (collective sanitation); in a smaller number of situations, discharges are treated by individual sanitation. ANSES’s expert work is structured around three axes:
- support for public authorities in order to assess the risks for sensitive uses (swimming, shellfish farming) located downstream of sanitation discharges;
- evaluation of projects to create wastewater treatment plants or the discharges resulting from them;
- evaluation of the effectiveness of non-collective wastewater treatment devices.
Sensitive activities downstream of sanitation discharges
Activities such as swimming, shellfish farming or the production of drinking water are particularly sensitive to the quality of surface water and can be indirectly impacted by discharges linked to sanitation. These discharges can come from non-collective sanitation systems or from a collection network and a wastewater treatment station.
The quality of treated wastewater discharged by these installations depends on the performance of the treatment devices implemented. Furthermore, the wastewater collection network and/or treatment facilities may malfunction leading to the release of untreated or partially treated wastewater contaminating the environments (particularly in the event of heavy rainfall).
In this context, the Agency, in support of the public authorities, is responsible for assessing the risks for sensitive uses located downstream of these discharges and the monitoring and control plans where applicable.
Opinions on projects to create wastewater treatment plants or the discharges resulting from them
The public health code (Article R.1331-1) provides that “ ANSES can be referred to any sanitation project at the request of the prefect “. These projects concern in particular the creations, works and discharges from wastewater treatment plants. Most of these projects are examined at the local level and the prefect rarely requests the Agency’s expertise.
Regarding the reuse of treated wastewater and pending the modification of the decree of August 2, 2010 relating to “the use of water resulting from the purification treatment of urban wastewater for the irrigation of crops or green spaces” following the recommendations made by the Agency in its 2012 report on the reuse of wastewater treated by spraying (cf. section “sustainable waters”), requests for authorization to reuse wastewater treated by spraying can also be sent to the Agency.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of non-collective sanitation systems
The Agency produced an expert report in 2009 relating to the technical evaluation protocol for non-collective sanitation installations. Since then, the Agency has participated in a national exchange group on monitoring methodologies on site of these facilities.
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