ETE Tambau Wastewater Treatment Plant, Tambaú, São Paulo, Brazil

ETE Tambau is a wastewater treatment plant located in Tambaú, a municipality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The plant serves a population of approximately 19,500 people, making it a medium-sized facility within the region's sanitation network. It operates under Brazil's national environmental regulations, which set standards for effluent quality and water resource protection. As a plant serving a medium-sized agglomeration, ETE Tambau is expected to meet treatment standards aligned with Brazilian Resolution CONAMA 430/2011, which mandates secondary treatment or equivalent for most inland discharges. Typical facilities of this scale employ biological treatment systems such as activated sludge or stabilization ponds to reduce organic load and pathogens before discharge. The treated effluent from ETE Tambau is discharged into local water bodies within the Rio Pardo basin, which flows into the Grande River and eventually the Paraná River system. This watershed supports agricultural activities and provides water for downstream communities. Proper treatment at ETE Tambau helps protect water quality in this ecologically important region, which is part of the larger Paraná Basin, one of South America's major river systems.

The plant discharges into the Rio Pardo basin, a tributary of the Grande River, which flows into the Paraná River and ultimately reaches the Rio de la Plata estuary. The watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is used for irrigation and drinking water supply. Effective treatment at ETE Tambau helps prevent nutrient enrichment and pathogen contamination in this ecologically sensitive river system.