Alternative collective resolution for public water supply: bacteriological and chlorination quality evaluation

Abstract

The water from alternative public supply (APS) in the northwestern municipalities of São Paulo state were evaluated on the bacteriological quality and on the free residual chlorine (FRC) contents, by following the guidelines established by Decree nº 518 of the Ministry of Health. During the period from 2004 to 2010, 3,564 samples were analyzed, which were collected from 66 municipalities in the area covered by Health Surveillance Group (GVS) 29-São José do Rio Preto (GVS 29 – SJRP-SP) and from 26 municipalities of GVS 30-Jales. Among the non-complying samples from GVS 29 – SJRP-SP area (1,775), 1,201 (67.7 %), 1,107 (62.4 %) and 256 (14.4 %) showed noncompliant values at least in one of the following parameters: FRC, total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms/Escherichia coli, respectively. The noncompliant samples collected from the region covered by the GVS-30 – Jales were of 104 (32.8%), 257 (81.0%) e 82 (25.9%). As the contamination indicators for drinking water from SAC were identified, this study provides support to the water supply services and to the health surveillance for implementing the control and the prevention of waterborne diseases transmission, and for improving the life conditions and quality of the covered communities.