QUALIDADE FÍSICO-QUÍMICA DA ÁGUA DE ABASTECIMENTO DO MUNICÍPIO DE CARAÚBAS/RN

Resumo

If treating the water of a basic item of survival, it is essential that everyone has access to quality drinking water, since variations in its composition, may result in damage to the health of users and consequently of the whole municipality. The study was intended to determine the physico-chemical quality of the water supply of the city of CarauÌbas, Rio Grande do Norte, evaluating its composition with laboratory tests and from existing data on water. The methodology consisted in the evaluation of water quality based on Ordinance No. 2914/2011 the Ministry of health and in the Resolution CONAMA no 357 of 2005. For both, physical and chemical analyses were carried out for water collected at eight points in the city, and to an alternative water sold in the region. The analyses were carried out according to the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. The physical and chemical parameters monitored were compared with those laid down in the legislation and standards adopted by the same. Among the parameters were evaluated: hardness, pH, sodium, potassium, chloride, salinity, conductivity, calcium and magnesium. He was also made a diagnosis from the results of analyses carried out by the water and sewerage company of Rio Grande do Norte-CAERN, the company responsible for supplying the city. The results indicated that the public water supply offered in the year 2015 presented the best conditions of the last four years, and in accordance to all parameters. Total hardness tests revealed the presence of hard water in the municipality, however are unable to cause any harm to health or economic losses. It was observed that there was a variation of the water collected in the countryside against the waters collected in the urban area, in that this variation may be due the first get introduced in storage conditions. From all the results showed that the water supply are in accordance and offer no harmful effects to health. It was verified that the alternative water sold in the municipality presented physicochemical characteristics suitable for consumption, with slightly higher water parameters offered by the public supply network.