ETE Candeias Wastewater Treatment Plant, Candeias, Bahia, Brazil

ETE Candeias is a wastewater treatment plant located in Candeias, within the metropolitan region of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The facility serves a population of approximately 27,379 people, making it a medium-sized municipal plant in the region. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological process for removing organic matter and suspended solids. As a facility in Brazil, it operates under national environmental regulations, including CONAMA resolutions and state-level permitting from Bahia's environmental agency (INEMA). Secondary treatment is typical for communities of this size, ensuring compliance with discharge standards for inland and coastal waters. The treated effluent is discharged near the Atlantic coast, within 10 km of the shoreline. This proximity to the ocean means the plant's discharge can influence coastal water quality and local marine ecosystems. The plant plays a key role in protecting the Baía de Todos os Santos watershed, an important estuarine and marine area that supports fisheries, tourism, and biodiversity.

The plant discharges into the coastal watershed of Baía de Todos os Santos, one of Brazil's largest and most ecologically significant bays. This estuary supports mangroves, seagrass beds, and diverse marine life, including fish and crustaceans important for local fisheries. The bay ultimately connects to the South Atlantic Ocean. Given the plant's proximity to the coast, its secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pathogen loads that could otherwise contribute to eutrophication or shellfish contamination in the bay.