Estudo da qualidade da água e das condições de abastecimento para consumo humano na Comunidade de Gravatá de Baixo – Muritiba - Bahia

Abstract

Water is an essential substance for the maintenance of life, but, even with such relevance, it has been suffering constant environmental attacks that compromise, qualitatively and quantitatively, mainly its surface springs, which are more exposed to contamination. This scenario induces the population to look for alternative sources of supply. One of these sources is underground water resources, which constitute an important source of water supply, making it important to take their conservation and preservation into consideration, as well as being aware of their quality. The study carried out aimed to evaluate and diagnose the quality of groundwater used as a source of supply in the community of Gravatá de Baixo, district of the municipality of Muritiba-BA, through analyzes of physical, chemical and biological parameters, as well as the characterization the sanitary and constructive conditions of the wells. The work also sought to understand the uses of water and the reasons that motivated the community to opt for this type of water supply. The results of the water sample analyzes were compared with the standards established for human consumption, in the legislation in force in Brazil. From the analyzes it was possible to conclude that the water collected in the wells studied does not comply with the potability standard required by legislation, such that its consumption can cause risks to human health. The research also revealed that groundwater is used for human consumption and that the majority of users opted for this solution due to the lack of a water distribution network. However, during the development of the work, the supply system was extended to the location, which corroborates the research conclusions that highlighted the need to implement sanitation services.