ETE Bairro Pedra Branca 1 - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul

ETE Bairro Pedra Branca 1 is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Bagé, a city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The plant serves a population of 1,101 people, classifying it as a small-scale facility within the region's sanitation infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological process required by Brazilian regulations for urban wastewater. Under the National Environmental Council (CONAMA) resolutions and state-level environmental laws, secondary treatment ensures significant reduction of organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that eventually drain into the Patos Lagoon system, a major coastal lagoon in southern Brazil. This lagoon supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological and economic resource for the region.

The plant's discharge flows into streams within the Patos Lagoon basin, which ultimately drains into the Patos Lagoon and then the Atlantic Ocean. The lagoon is a critical habitat for fish, birds, and other wildlife, and supports local fisheries. Protecting water quality in this watershed is essential for maintaining ecological balance and human uses such as recreation and water supply.