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Loading ...Since August 2009, an innovative system has been helping to treat wastewater from the water treatment plant at Saint-Just (5000 population equivalent) in the Hérault department (France). Called the ‘Zone Libellule’ (‘libellule’ is the French word for dragonfly, and an acronym for ‘LIberté Biologique Et de LUtte contre les poLluants Emergents’—Biological freedom and fight against emerging pollutants), it is made up of a series of wetlands containing over 7000 plants from 48 different species.
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Lyonnaise des Eaux
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wetland, biodiversity, wastewater, zone Libellule®
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Since August 2009, an innovative system has been helping to treat wastewater from the water treatment plant at Saint-Just (5000 population equivalent) in the Hérault department (France). Called the ‘Zone Libellule’ (‘libellule’ is the French word for dragonfly, and an acronym for ‘LIberté Biologique Et de LUtte contre les poLluants Emergents’—Biological freedom and fight against emerging pollutants), it is made up of a series of wetlands containing over 7000 plants from 48 different species.
These local plants have been chosen for their ability, demonstrated in the laboratory, to rid water of some pollutants.
Lyonnaise des Eaux has proposed creating this area of 1.5 ha, located downstream of the wastewater treatment plant and acting as a buffer zone to better support the discharge of treated wastewater in the natural environment and smooth the return of treated water into the environment.
This zone has three main goals:
- Revitalize local biodiversity by recreating different habitants on the same zone;
- Use the purification capacities of plants to treat water: phyto remediation (experiment with their ability to reduce certain pollutants);
- Make this wetland a site for observing and learning about biodiversity
Located on a river or lake, Zone Libellule® promotes and develops the lands which cannot be built or are liable to flooding.
Human intervention is minimal, allowing local biodiversity to naturally regenerate.
This solution is implemented at St Just, in France (SIVOM de la Palus – Hérault, Languedoc Roussillon region, France)
Client: The wastewater authority of St Just (called SIVOM de la PALUS)
Designer and operator: Lyonnaise des Eaux (Suez Environnement)
Associated Organizations: University of Montpellier, Water Board for Rhone Mediterranean and Corsica, ONEMA (The French National Agency for Water and Aquatic Environments), Hydrosciences Laboratory, CEMAGREF (Research institute in environemntal sciences and technologies), General Council of Hérault
The solution was commissioned in summer 2009.
Further study is underway to quantify the possible impact of the Zone Libellule on micropollutants.
The challenge is to protect aquatic environments in a natural way and help the environment recover a rich and dense biodiversity.
Zone Libellule key outputs are the following:
- recovery and revitalization of biodiversity: the site evolved from an agricultural plot, quite poor in biodiversity, to a site with around 40 local plant species and 110 animal species
- education of the community on the environment and biodiversity: more than 2000visitors to date
- a natural complement to wastewater treatment
Indicators of success are:
- the variety of biodiversity
- the interest of the public on this site that also has an educational purpose
The Zone is overseen by a Scientific Committee, comprising all stakeholders and experts,which monitors the area’s outputs, is informedof allfollow-up studies on the area and makes recommendations for further management.
This tool is replicable for all cities wishing to better control the quantitative and qualitative impact of sewer systems discharges in the natural environment and to enhance the ecosystem protection.
The success of the Zone Libellule is largely due to the association, from its conception, of many experts of the living (zoologists, botanists) and of aquatic environments, who helped to define the optimal design of this Zone.
It requires, however, to have sufficient land available near the wastewater treatment plant (about1 ha for 4 000 inhabitants).
The creation of urban Zone Libellule is being studied in several French cities
Lyonnaise des Eaux : jean-pierre.maugendre@lyonnaise-des-eaux.fr eric.blin@lyonnaise-des-eaux.fr
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