Veolia Wins Contract to Operate New-Generation French Wastewater Plant
The plant segregates wastewater and stormwater treatment for 37 MEL municipalities and satisfies high environmental standards, particularly for nitrogen and phosphate treatment, in order to maintain the quality of the nearby river water.
Veolia announced that it has won a five-year contract to operate Ovilléo, the Marquette-lez-Lille new-generation wastewater treatment plant in France, for about 40 million euros. The plant has treatment capacity to serve a population of about 620,000 people and is the largest new-generation plant in northern France.
It segregates wastewater and stormwater treatment for 37 MEL municipalities and satisfies high environmental standards, particularly for nitrogen and phosphate treatment, in order to maintain the quality of the nearby river water. The plant is located in the town center and also treats odors and monitors emission sources at all times to limit unpleasant odors for local inhabitants as far as possible, according to Veolia's announcement, which described the plant as being "on the frontline for sustainable development and produces biogas from treatment sludge. This biogas is sufficient to cover 94% of the site's heat needs and supplies a cogenerator, producing power for 800 household 365 days of the year."
Veolia has created a dedicated Ovilléo team and a service that shares information with MEL around the clock. "Ovilléo is truly a 21st-century plant. We are proud to have been selected by Métropole Européenne de Lille for its operation. Perfectly integrated into its region, this new-generation plant is an extraordinary concentrate of environmental and technological innovation. Marquette is now ahead of the curve for wastewater treatment," said Frédéric Van Heems, CEO of Water for Veolia in France.