Desenvolvimento de soluções sustentáveis: método para tratamento de água em comunidades rurais por meio de tecnologias sociais

Abstract

Ensuring water quality requires the implementation of efficient treatment systems. In this context, the main objective of this research was to create and improve water treatment systems using adapted low-cost technologies for communities in rural areas or regions with difficult access to drinking water provided by the public supply network. The specific objectives were to analyze the quality parameters such as color, pH, turbidity, hardness and fecal coliforms of two water sources in a rural community located in the city of Viçosa, Alagoas; to evaluate which methods are most suitable for the treatment of each water source evaluated in the study; and to verify the effectiveness of the methods used in guaranteeing a safe supply of water for human consumption. The pH, color, turbidity and presence of microorganisms analyses were carried out at the Environmental Sanitation Laboratory (LSA). The jar tests and filtration processes were carried out in the Separation Systems and Process Optimization Laboratory (LASSOP). In both situations, the previously established methodologies used in these laboratories were followed. Through the analyses carried out, it was possible to verify the need for treatment of the water sources in the study, since at almost all the points analyzed, the water sources proved to be unfit for consumption. In the end, it was found that both water sources could undergo the same treatment process, which led to the suggestion of the ideal method using social technologies, the effectiveness of which was verified.