A influência da qualidade da água para a saúde dos moradores do projeto de assentamento de reforma agrária Dom José Mauro, Uberlândia-MG

Abstract

The land reform settlement developments are projects that include families of small farmers, to have access to social equality, but what has been observed is the indifference of government authorities to forward this population, therefore. In most settlements the permanence of rural workers is hampered because there are several problems and the main issue is the precariousness in water treatment, which further affects the health of residents. So the aim of this study was to evaluate the water quality and the health conditions of the residents of Settlement Project (PA) Dom José Mauro, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, relating these analyses to the environmental factors that can affect the settler’s quality of live. In order to develop this project, the following steps were taken: Primary research of data (structured interviews); collection of secondary data, based on official sources analyses of information available, such as, the records of the settlers and analysis of water quality. For the purpose of checking the water quality, microbiological analysis of surface water and groundwater have been made for the detection of total and fecal coliforms in particular for the detection of E. coli, according to the recommendations of the CONAMA Resolution nº 357 (2005) and by MS 2914/2011 concierge. For the determination of the presence of these bacteria, we used the method of 3M Petrifilm plates. 13 samples were collected during the dry season and 13 in the rainy season, and the surface water samples were collected from dam and groundwater was collected from springs, wells and cisterns. The data obtained by the analysis of the collected samples, detected contamination 76.9% (10) of total coliforms and 23.0% (3) E.coli in the dry season and the rainy season 92.3% (12) of total coliforms and 69.2% (9) of E. coli. These results did not meet the potability standards established by decree nº 2914/2011, showing that water is more contaminated during the rainy season, increasing the risk of acquiring disease. Regarding the presence of symptoms associated with waterborne diseases, diarrhea was the most prevalent symptom, occurring at the points where contamination by E.coli was present. Overall, most of the settled families are consuming water without the potability standards established by Brazilian law increasing the settled families, vulnerability to contract waterborne diseases. As it was mentioned above improvement in water quality depends on the existence of sanitation in the settlement, also an enhanced infrastructure capture and storage of water, and the use of efficient methodologies for environmental education, hygiene and better sanitary conditions for settled families.