Qualidade da água como retrato da vulnerabilidade socioambiental: o caso do rio Cocó - Fortaleza/CE

Abstract

Multiple factors influence the change in the quality of water resources. Industrialization, geographical conditions, demographic explosion, disordered land use and occupation are among the main factors. Thus, the objective is to analyze the water quality of the Cocó River from the perspective of the social and environmental vulnerability of its urban banks. The qualitative‐quantitative methodology was based on the monitoring of 07 (seven) points of the river carried out by the State Superintendence of the Environment. One of them was chosen for analysis, due to the intense population density. Using the IQA (Water Quality Index) method, the parameters were: thermotolerant coliform (CTT), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen (DO). The data provided for Brazilian conditions (Companhia de Tecnologia e Saneamento Ambiental (CETESB)) was calibrated and systematized in Excel spreadsheets and charts. As results, there is a scenario of local socio‐environmental and sanitary commitment. All the numbers observed in the BOD, OD, CTT, IQA averages, in addition to the HDI, are lower than the sanitary, environmental and social quality standards, evidencing multiple anthropic and negative natural impacts ‐ contamination of soil and groundwater, fauna and flora, besides being an increment of vectors and contaminating agents that have as vehicle of transmission the water. It is concluded that there is a growing need to ascertain and understand the factors influencing water quality, as well as to anticipate future impacts, in order to seek social well‐being and environmental quality.