Gestão e processo de licenciamento ambiental de sistema de abastecimento de água no Ceará: estudo de caso do sistema da ETA Oeste

Abstract

Access to sufficient and safe drinking water is a human right guaranteed by the UN. The supply of water to the urban and rural population is promoted by public basic sanitation services, from collection to distribution, which in turn have an impact on the environment. In Brazil, the need to preserve the environment in the face of the impacts of human activities led to the creation of the National Environmental Policy (PNMA) as the start of federal environmental legislation and, consequently, in smaller spheres. The environmental licensing of activities is one of the PNMA's instruments for guaranteeing the preservation of natural resources and environmental conservation. This study looked at environmental licensing in water supply systems in the state of Ceará, due to the scarcity of approaches from this perspective in the literature. The aim of the work was to present and analyze an Operation License Renewal (LO) process in a Water Supply System (WSS) and the legislation in force regarding environmental licensing in Water Supply Systems (WSS). The WSS chosen was the West WTP, due to its importance to Ceará, which is run by the Ceará State Water and Sewage Company (CAGECE) and the State Environmental Superintendence (SEMACE) as the licensing environmental agency. A flowchart and description of the stages of the process was also drawn up, highlighting its specificities, difficulties and the importance of managing conditions. The analysis of current legislation and the license application process made it possible to verify the framework of the project, the requirements and deadlines, and to develop a flowchart of the specific process. The particularities of the process were also verified, as well as the degree of effectiveness of the management of the required conditions and the strategies used to do so. It was concluded that the request for renewal of the LO for the SAA at the ETA Oeste was successfully completed by the applicant, and that it was protected from an irregular situation in terms of environmental licensing. Regarding licensing management, the combination of routine monitoring of the conditions, planning and setting deadlines, and the use of management tools proved to be good practices on the part of the team to be maintained.