Disponibilidade hídrica da população em situação de rua do centro de Fortaleza, Ceará

Abstract

One of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals is to access water and equitable sanitation for all, which includes the most socially vulnerable segment of the population. In this context, this study aimed to estimate the quality of water accessed by the homeless population (PSR) in the center of Fortaleza, Ceará. Seven sampling points were selected for different purposes (potability, bathing suitability, and excreta dilution), such as fountains, drains, and drinking fountains. The samples were conducted bimonthly from January to November 2024, and analyses were conducted at the Environmental Sanitation Laboratory (LABOSAN/UFC), considering bacteriological, physicochemical, and organoleptic parameters. The results showed that, on average, 30%, 14%, and 26% of the samples presented nonconformities, respectively, for potability, bathing suitability, and excreta dilution, established by the Brazilian Health Ministry Ordinance No. 888/2021 and CONAMA Resolutions 274/2000 and 357/2005. The second stage of the research included remote turbidity estimation using Sentinel-2 imagery, based on the sample collected from the water source in Passeio Público (Praça dos Mártires). The model provided reasonable performance, with a coefficient of determination R² > 0.5. It is noteworthy that turbidity is an indirect indicator of microbiological contamination, especially of thermotolerant coliforms. The results obtained in this research are expected to support public policy actions aimed at developing water distribution systems for the PSR that comply with legal standards.