ETE Serra Dourada Wastewater Treatment Plant, Serra, Espírito Santo

ETE Serra Dourada is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the Serra Dourada I neighborhood of Serra, in the Greater Vitória metropolitan region of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The plant serves a population of approximately 7,512 residents, classifying it as a small to medium agglomeration under Brazilian wastewater management frameworks. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by Brazilian regulations (CONAMA resolutions) for inland and coastal discharges. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant's discharge volume is recorded at 853.63 cubic meters per day. Situated less than 10 km from the Atlantic coast, the plant's effluent ultimately reaches the ocean, likely via local drainage channels or rivers flowing into the Bay of Vitória. This coastal proximity necessitates careful management to protect marine water quality and coastal ecosystems, including mangroves and estuarine habitats that support diverse aquatic life.

The plant discharges into the Atlantic coastal zone near the Bay of Vitória, a semi-enclosed estuary that receives runoff from the surrounding metropolitan region. The bay supports mangroves, seagrass beds, and fish nurseries, making it ecologically sensitive to nutrient and pollutant loads. Treated effluent from ETE Serra Dourada contributes to the freshwater and nutrient balance of this coastal system, which ultimately drains into the South Atlantic Ocean.