ETE DO BALDO Wastewater Treatment Plant, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte

ETE DO BALDO is a wastewater treatment facility located in Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte state in northeastern Brazil. The plant serves a population of approximately 102,161 residents, placing it in the medium-to-large agglomeration category for Brazilian wastewater infrastructure. Its location in the Alecrim neighborhood of Natal's eastern zone positions it within the urban fabric of this coastal city. As a Brazilian wastewater treatment plant, ETE DO BALDO operates under the national regulatory framework established by the Ministry of Cities and state environmental agencies such as IDEMA (Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável e Meio Ambiente do Rio Grande do Norte). For agglomerations of this scale, Brazilian regulations typically require at least secondary treatment to meet effluent quality standards. The plant's designed capacity is reported as 1. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the local drainage system, which ultimately flows into the Atlantic Ocean via the Potengi River estuary or nearby coastal waters. This discharge point is within 50 km of the coast, making the plant's performance critical for protecting the marine environment and the sensitive ecosystems of the Rio Grande do Norte coastline, including mangroves and coral reefs.

ETE DO BALDO discharges into the Potengi River basin, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean near Natal. The Potengi River estuary supports diverse aquatic life, including mangroves and fish species, and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The plant's coastal proximity means its effluent quality directly affects the health of nearby marine ecosystems, including coral reefs and seagrass beds.