ETE Sarandi Porto Alegre - Wastewater Treatment Plant in Porto Alegre, Brazil

ETE Sarandi Porto Alegre is a wastewater treatment plant located in the Sarandi neighborhood of Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul state in southern Brazil. The plant serves a population of around 43,048 people, placing it in the medium agglomeration category for Brazilian wastewater infrastructure. It operates within the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, which is part of the larger Região Metropolitana de Porto Alegre. As a Brazilian wastewater treatment plant, ETE Sarandi operates under the national regulatory framework established by the Ministry of Cities and state environmental agencies such as FEPAM (Fundação Estadual de Proteção Ambiental). For plants serving populations of this scale, secondary treatment is typically required to meet effluent standards. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in cubic meters per second or another unit), indicating a facility sized for the community's needs. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Guaíba River and then the Lagoa dos Patos, a large coastal lagoon system. This lagoon is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as an important habitat for fish and birds. The proximity to the coast (within 50 km) means that nutrient removal is important to prevent eutrophication in the sensitive lagoon and coastal environments.

The plant discharges into the Guaíba River basin, which flows into the Lagoa dos Patos, one of the largest coastal lagoons in South America. This lagoon connects to the Atlantic Ocean via the Rio Grande channel. The watershed supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including wetlands and estuarine habitats that are critical for migratory birds and fish species. Nutrient loading from wastewater can contribute to algal blooms, so effective treatment is essential for maintaining water quality in this ecologically sensitive region.