EU publications

Decentralised waste water treatment via soil filters

23.11.2005

Spearhead of Europe's environmental policy, sustainable development implies for man the mastering of his urban and domestic wastewater, using techniques that are as natural and energy saving where possible. The "urban wastewater treatment" Directive from 21 May 1991, and very recently the Water Framework Directive have come to remind us of the necessity of appropriate treatment for these discharges with the objective of a good ecological status of our water.

In the 1970s France developed an ambitious rural and urban treatment policy supported financially by the Agences de l’Eau (Water Agencies).Today it has 15,500 treatment plants, more than 6,000 of which are sized at less than 2,000 population equivalents,often equipped with extensive treatments processes because of their low financial and technical constraints and their good ecological integration. Bearing in mind the varied soil conditions that exist, it has vast experience in almost all situations that exist in Europe climatically and geographically speaking and also in terms of land characteristics.

For its part, the Commission's Environment-Directorate General wanted to benefit from the experience and,if possible by the exchange of advice from its use in small communities,and from similar experiences carried out throughout the European Union,certain of which are supported within Life-Environment operations.

In this context, the value of these experiences through co-operation between the Commission's Environment-Directorate General,and on the French side,the Water Directorate of Ministry of Ecology and of Long-Term Development and of the Environment and the water Agencies, is an idea that grew during the recent French presidency. This guide represents the fruits of work accomplished since then.

We sincerely hope that this guide proves to be useful to elected officials and those responsible for technical departments of small and medium sized European agglomerations, so that the latter can determine their choices on the best possible technical and financial bases, with a concern for ecological integration and sustainable development.This guide can therefore be an illustration,among others,of the spirit of the 6th European Action Program for the Environment 2001-2010:"Our Future,Our Choice".

Download the publication in French.

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