Abstract: The invention concerns a method for regulating a wastewater or sludge treating plant. Ponds and cells provided with aerating means are used for eliminating carbonaceous, nitrogenous, and phosphate pollutants. The invention is characterized in that an automaton uses periods during which the plant is underloaded to impose on it abnormal operating conditions. The automaton analyses the response of the plant to the abnormal operating conditions to simulate and optimize the plant operating parameters for heavy-load periods, by automatically adjusting the parameters of the automaton logic.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for regulating an effluent treating plant, in particular for waste water or sludge derived from that type of treatment, using in particular ponds and cells provided with aerating means, for eliminating carbonaceous, nitrogenous, phosphate pollutants and a regulating automaton operating on the analysis of the evolution of predetermined operating parameters of the plant. The invention is characterised in that: the automaton uses periods during which the station is under-loaded-to impose on it abnormal operating conditions, and the automaton analyses the response of the plant to said abnormal operating conditions to update and optimise the plant operating parameters for heavy-load periods, by automatically adjusting the parametering of the automaton logic. In the implementing example, the method is used for controlling the aeration of a purification plant.