Análise da qualidade dos recursos hídricos superficiais e suas consequências sanitárias no estado do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

With an estimated population of 3.5 million inhabitants, the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) has a large part of its territory inserted in the Brazilian semiarid region, which, due to its natural characteristics, faces difficulties resulting from water scarcity, which is burdened when the quality of available water is degraded as a result of the natural geological characteristics and human activities developed in the region. In this perspective, the general objective of this research is to investigate the water quality of state reservoirs and their relevance as a risk factor to the health of the population. The scientific activity covered was planned in three parts. Chapter 1 deals with the characterization of the water quality of a representative reservoir in terms of its relevance to regional supply. For this, the selected study area was the municipality of Caicó, inserted in the Piranhas-Açu Hydrographic Basin domain. The research was carried out through water quality analysis represented by the Trophic State Index and qualitative quantitative occurrence of cyanobacteria. The database used was obtained from the Água Azul Program. The results achieved were support for the definition of the potential health impacts linked to eutrophication in the period from 2008 to 2016. In chapter 2, considering the contribution to the knowledge of the perception of environmental quality from the perspective of society inserted in the area of interest, a study of environmental perception was carried out through the application of interviews to residents of different neighborhoods in the city of Caicó, contemplating information referring to sociodemographic characteristics such as: infrastructural and economic aspects of family nuclei, information on social, cultural and sanitary characteristics , in addition to environmental aspects and their relationship with them. The results obtained provided relevant information related to the environmental problems experienced by the population, providing a subsidy to promote the improvement of the quality of the environment in which the population is inserted. Finally, chapter 3 addresses, based on the results obtained in the first two chapters, a general study of water bodies of importance for public supply in the state of RN and their consequences on the health of the population through information available in the database of the reports of the Água Azul Program at the state level referring to the period from 2008 to 2016 where the characterization was carried out through the IQA and EIT. In addition, an analysis of the occurrence of water-borne diseases of greater prevalence in the population of the municipalities of RN was discussed using the information available in the databases of the Primary Care Information System (SIAB) of the Informatics Department of the Unified Health System. Health (DATASUS) in the same period (2008-2016), in order to interpret a possible influence of water quality on the health profile of the population. The results obtained were useful to relate the relevance of water quality in population health and can contribute to assist in the management and decision making regarding the availability of water, as well as in order to minimize and mitigate the associated health impacts.