ETE URUCAIA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Queluzito, Minas Gerais

ETE URUCAIA is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the Bairro das Hortênsias area of Queluzito, a city in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The plant serves a population of approximately 6,781 people, classifying it as a small to medium-sized facility within the region's sanitation infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process required under Brazilian regulations (CONAMA resolutions) for most urban wastewater. This level of treatment significantly reduces organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant's annual discharge volume is 491.49 thousand cubic meters, reflecting its role in managing local domestic wastewater. The treated effluent is discharged into local water bodies that ultimately drain into the Rio Paraopeba basin, a tributary of the Rio São Francisco, one of Brazil's major river systems. The Rio São Francisco flows northeastward through the semi-arid region before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The plant's operation helps protect downstream water quality and supports the ecological health of the Paraopeba and São Francisco rivers.

The plant discharges into local streams that feed the Rio Paraopeba, a key tributary of the Rio São Francisco. The São Francisco basin supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for millions of people. Downstream ecosystems include the São Francisco River estuary and coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Protecting water quality in this basin is critical for maintaining biodiversity and supporting local communities.