ETE Por do Sol Wastewater Treatment Plant, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

ETE Por do Sol is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in the Coaçu neighborhood of Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará state in northeastern Brazil. The plant serves a small population of 588 residents, reflecting its role in a localized community within the larger metropolitan area. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under Brazilian regulations (CONAMA resolutions) for most inland and coastal discharges. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant's discharge volume is 84.54 m³/day, indicating a modest operational scale. The treated effluent is discharged into the local drainage network that ultimately reaches the Atlantic Ocean, given Fortaleza's coastal location. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means its discharge contributes to the nutrient and pollutant load entering the marine environment, which supports diverse aquatic life and is important for local fisheries and tourism.

The plant discharges into the coastal watershed of Fortaleza, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean via small rivers and urban drainage channels. The receiving marine environment is part of the tropical South Atlantic, supporting coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds that are ecologically sensitive to nutrient enrichment and pollution. Proper treatment is critical to protect these habitats and the livelihoods that depend on them.