Veolia: Inauguration of France’s largest agricultural REUT facility in Argelès-sur-Mer

Veolia is inaugurating France’s largest REUT (reuse of treated wastewater) facility for agricultural irrigation, on 20 June 2026, on behalf of the CC ACVI (Albères-Côte Vermeille-Illibéris Community of Communes) in Argelès-sur-Mer (Pyrénées-Orientales), in the presence of Monique Barbut, Minister for Ecological Transition.

Commissioned in April 2026, the facility recycles up to 1.3 million m³ of treated wastewater per year, equivalent to a quarter of the region’s annual drinking water abstraction. It supplies 56 local farmers across more than 650 hectares of agricultural land via a drip irrigation network, particularly for vineyards and apricot trees.

The region, situated in one of France’s departments most affected by water stress, comprises 15 municipalities and has a permanent population of 56,000, rising to 200,000 during the summer months. The water produced by the REUT meets Category A standards - the most stringent level under French regulations - thanks to a membrane ultrafiltration plant built by Veolia, for whom the development of REUT is a key focus of its Green Up…