ETE Riacho dos Machados - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Minas Gerais, Brazil

ETE Riacho dos Machados is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Riacho dos Machados, a municipality in the northern region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The plant serves a population of 3,276 residents, classifying it as a small-scale facility within the state's sanitation infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment level required by Brazilian environmental legislation (CONAMA resolutions) for most inland communities. Secondary treatment typically involves biological degradation of organic matter followed by sedimentation. The plant discharges 241.92 cubic meters of treated effluent daily, reflecting its small service population. The treated effluent is released into local watercourses that drain into the São Francisco River basin, one of Brazil's most important river systems. The São Francisco River flows northward through the semi-arid Sertão region before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The plant's operations help protect downstream water quality in a region where water resources are critical for agriculture and human consumption.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the São Francisco River basin, which flows through the semi-arid Sertão region of northeastern Brazil. The São Francisco River supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for irrigation, drinking, and hydroelectric power. The downstream environment includes the São Francisco River estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. The region's seasonal rainfall patterns make water quality management particularly important for maintaining ecological balance and supporting local communities.