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Brittany campsite becomes first in France to recycle wastewater
Finistère campsite reuses treated shower and washing water, cutting drinking water use by 40%
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A campsite in Brittany is believed to be the first tourist accommodation in France to recycle wastewater from showers, washbasins and washing machines for use elsewhere on the site.
The Camping de la Presqu’île in Crozon (Finistère) began operating its system in May, following several years of planning and a change in French regulations.
Instead of going directly into the sewerage system, grey water is collected separately from toilet and kitchen wastewater before being treated and reused to flush toilets, clean outdoor areas and water vegetation.
“It started out as an economic necessity,” said co-owner Franck Ribotta, who runs the campsite with his wife Fabienne.
The couple took over the site in 2014, and initially sought to reduce spending on waste, electricity and water. When they renovated a sanitary block dating from 1978 in 2018, they installed separate networks for grey water and sewage so the water could eventually be reused.
In 2023, they decided to develop the system with French company Nereus, but had to wait until July 2024 for regulations on water reuse to change. The work was carried out in early 2026.
The €133,506 project uses prefiltration, nanofiltration, activated carbon and chlorination to produce treated water of a quality close to drinking water. The system can process up to 20m³ a day, It is expected to save around 650m³ of drinking water annually, or €2,900 per year on average, cutting the campsite’s consumption by about 40%. The target is to reduce use from around 79 litres per overnight stay to 50 litres.
The project follows earlier measures, including low-flow showers and toilets, rainwater tanks for irrigation and real-time monitoring to detect leaks.
The campsite estimates that its projected payback period will be 11 years with public funding, compared with 37 years without subsidies. The project is also intended to make the business less vulnerable to future restrictions on water supplies.
“Recycling water is no longer an option but the solution to water shortage,” Mr Ribotta said.
His warning comes as Finistère was placed on the highest ‘crisis’ drought alert from August 7, with restrictions on uses including vehicle washing, outdoor cleaning and irrigation. Reuse of treated water, such as at the campsite, is exempt.
