Análise dos processos erosivos e das condições socioambientais do bairro Élisson Prieto (Uberlândia - MG)

Abstract

Basic sanitation remainsone of the main socio-environmental challenges in Brazil, reflecting historical and regional inequalities that affect the population’s quality of life. Despite progress in water supply services, sewage collection and treatment still have insufficient coverage across much of the national territory. In the municipality of Uberlândia, although recognized for the efficiency of its sanitation system, peripheral areas with precarious infrastructure persist, such as the Élisson Prieto neighborhood. Originating from an urban settlement, the neighborhood faces limitations in sanitation services, a lack of efficient urban drainage systems, and significant environmental problems, particularly erosive processes associated with disordered land occupation and inadequate stormwater management. In this context, this study aims to analyze the influence of the absence of drainage infrastructure on erosive processes and quality of life in the Élisson Prieto neighborhood. The research is characterized as a qualitative, exploratory case study, using participatory diagnosis with female residents of the neighborhood, field observation, photographic records, and spatial analysis to identify locations affected by erosive processes along local streets using Google Earth Pro software. The results demonstrate that the lack of stormwater drainage and paving directly contributes to the intensification of erosive processes, residents’ mobility, health, and quality of life. Erosion features such as rills and gullies were observed, particularly in areas with steeper slopes and little or no vegetation cover. Residents’ reports also indicated problems related to the accumulation of solid waste, dust, and structural risks, reinforcing the neighborhood’s condition of socio-environmental vulnerability. It is concluded that erosive processes are recurrent in the neighborhood under study and are associated with the precarious urban infrastructure and the unequal production of space, highlighting the need for public policies aimed at improving urban conditions in peripheral areas.