What Is The Price of a Wastewater Treatment System in France?

A wastewater treatment plant is a compact solution to treatment wastewater.

The Tricel Novo wastewater treatment plant is approved by the French Ministries of Ecology and Health since 2011 and complies with the NF EN 12566-3 standard with a CE marking from 1 to 50 PE. This domestic sewage treatment system is different from a traditional system (septic tank with percolation area).

The tank is guaranteed for 20 years and is a reference on the market of small wastewater treatment plants in France and in Europe.

How does a Tricel Novo small wastewater treatment plant?

Tricel’s wastewater treatment plant is a high-quality product with a fixed aerobic bed technology. It guarantees a high treatment performance that doesn’t age.

The fixed bed aeration process relies on a three-step treatment process which takes part in three different chambers within the wastewater treatment plant.

1st Stage: Primary Settlement Chamber

The first stage of the wastewater treatment occurs in the primary settlement chamber where the effluents are introduced. The distributed solids and heavy substances drop to the bottom of the plant where they form a sludge. At the same time, a thin layer of scum appears at the surface. The first anaerobic breakdown is being solicited to liquify the sludge slowly but surely.

2nd Stage: The Aeration Chamber

The second stage of the wastewater treatment takes place in the aeration chamber, which involves bacterial support and a specially designed filter media. These bacteria are permanently sustained with air supplied from a purpose-built pump in the unit’s top section. As the liquid flows through the filter media, the bacteria feed on the waste and remove it from the liquid.

3rd Stage: Final Settlement Chamber

At this stage, some of the sludge is transported with the liquid into the final settlement chamber. It will then settle to the bottom of the plant where a continuous sludge return system will pump it back to the primary settlement chamber. The remaining treated effluents now meet the required standard to be safely passed out of the Tricel Novo system (which is infiltrated in the soil or rejected safely in a designated area).

Tricel Seta Simplex compact filter is suitable for individual applications for permanent use (main residence) and for intermittent use (secondary house/holiday home). It is also adapted for “small communities” such as restaurants, hotels, campsites, group dwellings etc.

The technologies on which it is built, provide users with exceptional reliability and lowest maintenance costs. Tricel Seta Simplex compact filter consists of a single tank with two compartments: a primary settlement compartment for the primary treatment of the wastewater, and a filter bed compartment for secondary treatment.

Like the Tricel Novo, the Seta Simplex is guaranteed for 20 years, is approved by the French Ministries of Ecology and Health and complies with the NF EN 12566-3 standard with a CE marking.

How does a Tricel Seta Simplex compact filter work?

1st phase: Primary treatment

Primary treatment takes place in the Primary Settlement compartment, where the wastewater from sinks, showers, toilets enters… The Primary Settlement compartment slows the effluent’s velocity, allowing solids and heavy sludge to settle at the bottom of the tank, while lighter substances (fats) float to the top of the tank to create a scum. The prefilter fixed at the end of the Primary Settlement compartment prevents solids/scum passing thorough to the Filter bed compartment. Anaerobic bacteria, naturally present in the effluent, develop in the Primary Compartment and liquefy sludge and solids by digesting the organic components they contain.

2nd phase: Secondary treatment

The pre-treated effluent then proceeds to the filter bed. The primary treated effluent is then evenly dispersed by a bespoke dispersion system ensuring the equal distribution of effluent over the entire filter bed, thus guaranteeing the optimum treatment of the wastewater. Tricel Seta Simplex compact filter technology is made of coconut fibre (“coir”), which serves both as a filtering medium and bacterial support. Coconut fibre is a generic term for the natural plant fibre which, made of fibrous mesocarp, surrounds and protects the coconut. These fibres are lignin-rich, which gives them great rigidity, makes them resistent to water and gives them excellent resistance to decomposition – resulting in a long lifespan. As the effluent passes down through the coconut fibres, it undergoes two types of secondary treatment:

• physical filtration thanks to the coconut fibre, and
• biological purification, mainly thanks to the aerobic bacterial flora that develops there naturally. Anaerobic bacteria also kill nitrates.

At the outlet of the compact filter, the wastewater has been treated in accordance with current legislation in force and may discharge to the sewer network.

All the domestic sewage treatment systems follow the same rules in terms of sizing. This one is calculated by the number of PE or Population Equivalent (EH for Equivalent Habitant in French) or main rooms. According to the regulation, 1 population equivalent = 1 main room.

How to define a main room?

The definition of a main room refers to article R.111-1-1 of the Construction and Housing Code.

It is a room dedicated to living and sleeping that must have a ceiling height of at least 2.30 m, an opening to the open air and a surface of at least 7 m² . This is the case for bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms. These are all spaces that can potentially accommodate a person (respecting the rules above).

For example, if you have one living room, three bedrooms and one dining room, the number of your main rooms will be 4, you will therefore need a small wastewater treatment plant for 4 PE.

The size of your device will be a point to respect to obtain your certificate of conformity. If you have any doubts about the size, do not hesitate to contact the SPANC of your municipality.

See example below for the Tricel Novo wastewater treatment plants.

Number of Habitable Rooms                     Model

1-6                                                           Novo FR6 3000L or 4000L

6-9                                                           Novo FR9 5000L or 6000L

9-11                                                         Novo FR11 6000L or 7000L

11-14                                                       Novo FR14 8000L

14-17                                                       Novo FR17 9000L

17-20                                                       Novo FR20 10000L

The Price of a Tricel Wastewater Treatment Plant or Compact Filter in France

The price of a Tricel wastewater treatment plant or compact filter depends on many factors such as the size of the product. Indeed, a Tricel FR6/4000 litres will not have the same price as a FR20/10000 litre. This is why it is imperative to calculate the right size of the device beforehand.

The price will also depend on the options you choose. Indeed, Tricel propose some options like the offsite compressor or risers or with pump.

As an estimate, the price for a Tricel wastewater treatment plant or compact filter (6EH) in France will be between 4,000 and 5,000€, excluding tax, delivery and installation.

To know the exact price, you have to contact Tricel and request a quote.

Installation Process and Operating costs

The installation can be done either by yourself, by your installer or by an installer recommended by Tricel. Either way, a Tricel (or one of its partners) technician has to do the commissioning (check that everything is OK before starting the plant).

Once started, the SPANC will deliver you a certificate of conformity in order to attest that this device and that the installation respect the environmental standards.

Power consumption

As mentioned above, a Tricel wastewater treatment plant uses an air blower to supplies oxygen to the aerobic bacteria in the second compartment of the tank. This compressor, which pumps outside air, needs a power supply in order to operate. Thus, the annual consumption of the Tricel Novo FR6 is estimated at 50€ for a device without pump.

Tricel maintenance contract, maintenance cost of the small wastewater treatment plant

Tricel technicians will also offer you a maintenance contract. This maintenance contract will allow to check your installation once a year, by an approved technician. It will also be the occasion to check the sludge level in order to have visibility on your desludging frequency.

The price of this annual service will depend on your local technician and the options you choose (many technicians offer different contracts). To find out how much it will cost, please contact your local Tricel technician or request a quotation on Tricel’s website.

Price and Frequency of Emptying

The frequency of emptying is an important factor in domestic sewage treatment. An undersized tank can lead to high and regular emptying costs. This is why the purchase price is not always representative of the total cost over 15 or 20 years. The frequency of emptying will vary depending on the size of your tank, your family and your maintenance. The actual emptying frequency can be determined by the growth of your sludge. This can be done by a local Tricel technician.

Regarding the price of an emptying / desludging, it will depend on your region and the availability of tank trucks. The price can vary from 200 € to 500 € on average. Remember to use an authorised/licenced professional for small wastewater treatment systems.

If you would like more information or have any questions, use the form below.