Physico-chemical and microbiological legal compliance assessment of treated and distributed water in the municipality of Santana/AP

Abstract

One of the main deficits of Brazilian basic sanitation services, especially in the North region, is the frequent non-conformity of treated and distributed water quality. The objective of the research is to evaluate physical-chemical and microbiological indicators of the supply water available in the municipality of Santana, the 2nd most important in the State of Amapá-AP. The methodology consisted in monitoring 15 urban households using samples of water of human consumption, randomly spatialized. The sampling frequency was bimonthly for 24 months. The water quality parameters evaluated were: pH, Turbidity, Fe, NO3, Mg, F, NH3, Al, CT and EC. Samples were collected exclusively in households served by the Amapá Water and Sewage Company (CAESA). The results were compared to the legal standards (No.2914/2011 of the Ministry of Health-MS). Except for F, NO3 and NH3, all others parameters presented non-compliance (%) with legislation (pH=100%, Turbidity=57%, Fe=71.4%, Mn=28.5%, Al= 100%, CT=100% e Ecoli=57,1%). Statistical tests (PCA and Friedman-χ2, p<0.05) confirm the hypothesis of significant physical-chemical and microbiological variation of water quality in the urban network of Santana City-AP. We conclude that the water supply´s production and distribution of CAESA are depreciated and need adjustments/adaptation to the norms and laws in force in Brazil.