Copasa | Conheça a ETAF Pampulha

Summary

This video explains the critical role of sewage treatment in preserving the Lagoa da Pampulha, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Belo Horizonte. It highlights the extensive environmental network of rivers and streams feeding into the lagoon and the challenges of wastewater management in the area. The video details how COPASA, the local utility, processes sewage, including manual and mechanical treatments, chemical processes, and biological filtration. The result is clean water returned to the lagoon and improved water quality in the region, contributing to both environmental protection and the enhancement of human development indices.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Pampulha Lagoon, a World Heritage site, is part of a larger environmental complex called the Pampulha Basin, covering nearly 100 square kilometers and impacting several neighborhoods in Belo Horizonte and Contagem.
• 😀 The Pampulha Basin includes numerous rivers and streams, such as the Sarandi and Ressaca streams, which drain into the lagoon and contribute to its pollution when homes are not connected to sewage systems.
• 😀 Proper sewage treatment is essential for protecting the Pampulha Lagoon. Without proper connections, sewage flows directly into the streams and the lagoon, causing contamination and bad odors.
• 😀 The Copasa (water utility company) is responsible for treating the sewage, beginning with the removal of solid waste, such as plastic and trash, from the water, which is transported to landfills.
• 😀 On a daily basis, Copasa removes over 400 kg of solid waste that should not be discarded in rivers or the lagoon, highlighting the importance of proper waste disposal.
• 😀 The water is further treated by removing sand and dirt through large concrete tanks, with approximately 1 ton of debris removed daily.
• 😀 After physical filtration, the water undergoes chemical treatment to agglomerate remaining particles, which are then directed to special pipes for further processing.
• 😀 The contaminated water is sent to the Onça Wastewater Treatment Plant, where it undergoes additional treatment along with sewage from the entire Pampulha Basin.
• 😀 At the Onça plant, modern treatment processes remove solid waste and ensure the treated water is returned to nature in a safe and clean state.
• 😀 The Onça plant uses biological processes, including anaerobic reactors, to treat organic matter in sewage, producing biogas, treated water, and sludge, which is later used as organic fertilizer.
• 😀 The collective effort of citizens is crucial in improving the health of the Pampulha Lagoon and its surrounding environment, with Copasa's efforts contributing to the improvement of human development indices in the region.

Q & A

What is the Lagoa da Pampulha and why is it important?

The Lagoa da Pampulha is a famous landmark in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is part of a much larger environmental complex, the Pampulha Basin, which includes various rivers and streams that flow into the lagoon.

What does the Pampulha Basin encompass?

The Pampulha Basin spans almost 100 square kilometers and covers numerous neighborhoods in Belo Horizonte and Contagem. It includes several rivers and streams that drain into the lagoon.

What happens when properties in the Pampulha Basin are not connected to the sewage system?

When properties are not connected to the sewage network, they discharge waste directly into the rivers, such as Sarandi and Ressaca, which flow into the lagoon, causing pollution and foul odors.

How does COPASA contribute to the preservation of the Lagoa da Pampulha?

COPASA manages the sewage treatment in the region by implementing a comprehensive process to clean the water flowing into the lagoon. This includes waste removal, sedimentation, chemical treatment, and further sewage treatment.

What is the role of solid waste removal in the water treatment process?

Solid waste is manually and mechanically removed from the water before it undergoes further treatment. COPASA removes over 400 kg of waste daily from the rivers to prevent pollution and damage to the environment.

How is sand and dirt removed from the water before it reaches the treatment facility?

The water passes through large concrete tanks that remove sand, dirt, and other solid particles. On average, COPASA removes about one ton of these materials daily.

What happens after the chemical treatment of the water?

After the chemical treatment, the water undergoes a process that causes remaining particles of dirt to clump together. These clumps are then directed into a special pipeline while clean water is returned to the lagoon.

Where does the polluted water go after leaving the Pampulha Lagoon?

The polluted water, along with waste clumps, flows through kilometers of pipes to the Onça Sewage Treatment Station, where it undergoes further treatment along with raw sewage from the entire basin.

What is the role of the Onça Sewage Treatment Station?

At the Onça Station, modern treatment processes are used to clean the water. This includes the removal of solid waste, sedimentation in tanks, biological treatment to degrade organic matter, and the generation of biogas, which can be used to generate electricity.

What are the three main products generated at the Onça Sewage Treatment Station?

The three main products generated at the Onça Station are treated sewage (returned to nature), biogas (used for energy generation), and sludge (which can be used as organic fertilizer).