The construction of three Sewage Treatment Stations (ETEs) was concluded
Located in the districts of Jorge, Matadouro and São José do Entre Montes (also known as Tapera), the units will be responsible for serving around 350 residents of the municipality of Rio Doce. In the districts of Matadouro and São José do Entre Montes (Tapera), they have been in operation since October 2022. In São Jorge, the only thing missing is the connection of electricity by the concessionaire. The new ETEs aim to contribute to the improvement of the water in the Doce River, reduce pollution and bring quality of life and more sanitary conditions to local populations. The investment of R$ 2.6 million for the works was made available by the Renova Foundation and transferred through the Minas Gerais Development Bank (BDMG).
The initiative also relies on the active participation of beneficiaries, as reported by Cynthia Andrade, specialist in environmental sanitation at the Renova Foundation. “The actions of the Renova Foundation 39 Program for Sewage Collection and Treatment and Disposal of Solid Waste are carried out by the municipalities themselves. In addition to financial resources, Renova provided technical support from qualified and experienced professionals, who helped in the development of actions, such as preparing documents, bidding and completing the works”.
How it works
The infrastructure includes collection networks, interceptors and a sewage treatment plant (ETE). Each location will have a technology responsible for the biological treatment of sewage, through the decomposition of organic matter and the separation of gases, solids and liquids. After going through these steps, the water can be safely returned to the environment. At the Jorge, Matadouro and São José do Entre Montes ETEs alone, 52 cubic meters of sewage will be treated per day.
Sanitation across the basin
The investment of R$ 2.6 million is part of a package of approximately R$ 720 million. Of this total, R$ 600 million are earmarked for treatment and sanitary sewage, and R$ 120 million for the proper disposal of urban solid waste in 39 municipalities affected by the Fundao dam collapse (MG).
By November 2022, R$57.6 million had been transferred to sanitary sewage and solid waste actions for 39 municipalities and two consortia served by the Sanitation Program.
In five other municipalities, in addition to Rio Doce, there are six other completed works: Rio Casca, São José do Goiabal and Sem-Peixe, in Minas Gerais; and Colatina and Linhares (with two ETEs), in Espírito Santo. These cities have already received a transfer of R$ 15 million from the Renova Foundation until November.
Other actions
Rio Doce is still one of the municipalities contemplated by the intermunicipal plan for integrated solid waste management, through the Multisectoral Consortium of Vale do Piranga (CIMVALPI). The program provides for actions ranging from collection to disposal of waste, with a focus on reducing or disposing of it correctly.
Both sewage treatment and the proper disposal of solid waste are essential in the revitalization process of the Doce River. The transfer of resources by the Renova Foundation aims to reduce the polluting organic load released directly into the water resources along the basin.