Avaliação do reúso de águas provindas de aparelhos de ar-condicionado em instituição de ensino superior localizada em Fortaleza/CE

Abstract

Water resource management is extremely important to ensure that access to water is maintained in a dignified and equitable manner throughout the world. To this end, practices must be adopted to manage and adapt water quality to its respective uses, in order to avoid diverting water with superior quality to less noble uses. To this end, water reuse is a tool for water resource management, since it promotes the reuse of water already used in other processes, reducing the consumption of water reserves intended for human consumption. In this sense, reused water can be taken from different sources, such as clear water from air conditioning units. These indoor air conditioning units have been increasingly used in homes, commercial establishments, public buildings and schools. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the potential for reusing water from air conditioning units in a higher education institution in Fortaleza/CE based on the analysis of the quantity of water generated, the quality of the water and the restrictions on its use. A collection was carried out on October 29, 2024, using a 10 L reservoir, a 1-inch hose, and a clamp to collect the water generated by the air conditioning in the 10.75 m² room of a professor in the Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering (DEHA) of the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), during the 9-hour period. The methodologies of the Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater were used to analyze the parameters. The existing literature and some local users were consulted to interpret the water consumption in certain activities of the University. Finally, it is concluded that an air conditioner generates 111.6 L of water per day (operating for 9 hours). The quality of the clear water produced corresponds to the standards required by NBR No. 16,783/2019 and by COEMA Resolution No. 02/2017. Among the uses identified in the UFC, the clear water produced by 30 rooms in 1 day is enough to: irrigate 20.3 to 40.6 m² of garden or contribute 60% of the volume of water needed to wash common areas on the floor where the rooms are located or flush a toilet 12 to 37 times or wash the outside of 2 cars.