Main usages of Sanhauá river water in the area of influence of the former Roger’s open dump: revising proposal of its classification

Abstract

The main usages of surface water near to the former Roger’s open dump were investigated by means of visits every three months. These visits were performed in: March 2006, August 2006, November 2006, February 2007, May 2007 and August 2007. The following activities were identified: fishing, crustacean and shellfish catchments, primary contact bath, discharge of sewage, disposal of solid wastes, and discharge of leachate generated by the former open dump. Furthermore, social-economical questionnaires were applied to the people living nearby. Results showed that 50.2% of interviewed people stated that uses the Sanhauá river water for fishing or crustacean or shellfish catchments; 45.8% said that use the river for primary or secondary contact bath or navigation; 93.1% of interviewed people said that their houses were not attended with sewage and so that, the final disposal site for the sewage was the Sanhauá river. Although all houses are attended by solid waste collection services, 46.6% of the interviewed people declared to know about solid wastes disposal at the Sanhauá river. According to these usages and CONAMA Resolution 357/2005 and the water salinity, the Sanhauá river would be classified into class 1 for brackish water, as opposed to its present classification: class 3. The monitoring showed that water quality standards were not in accordance to the class 1 for brackish water. Therefore, the environmental institution should adopt measures so that the water quality of Sanhauá river would be maintained or proceed to the revision for the river classification.