Determinação da qualidade de águas de fontes naturais, utilizadas para consumo humano, localizada em uma área rural do município de PiratinI-RS

Abstract

According to article 30 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the water right is one of the fundamental human rights. However, many human activities have caused significant environmental changes, influencing the available series of natural resources. Water, in some parts of the planet, has become a scarce resource with compromised quality. Furthermore, many rural communities do not benefit from treated water supply from the public authorities. Instead, these communities generally take advantage of the available underground water through the isolation of its outcrops, known as plain wells (natural “cacimbas”), to supply their needs. Groundwater is generally considered proper for consumption as it is less exposed to contamination and presents good aspects of color, smell and taste suitable for human senses, but numerous polluting compounds cannot be identified without further study and analysis. Considering that quality water is an essential good for the existence of life on earth, this work aims to investigate such resource situation in a rural area in the third district of Piratini - RS, which the government underserves in terms of potable water supply. Nonetheless, the main source of water income in the studied region is agriculture and livestock, which presents a considerable capacity to contaminate soil and water. This study used chemical, physicochemical and microbiological analysis to identify the level of groundwater by vertical electrical sounding technique to verify the quality of the consumed water. According to the obtained results, it was possible to observed that some parameters were higher than the allowed limited in CONAMA resolutions and Health Ministery ordinances, among them is pH, nitrate, total coliform and Escherichia Coli. Given this scenario, some practices must be adopted in order to improve water quality, such as the use of chlorinating filters, clay filters, neutralizing and purifying filters, which are highly recommended for this purpose, in addition to the practice of regular cleaning of wells, water tanks, efficient covers to prevent the entry of unwanted materials or even insects, as well as preventing the access of animals in these places. However, groundwater is still a good supply option, though constant monitoring of this resource is essential to keep the quality of water for human consumption.