Vigilância epidemiológica e vigilância da qualidade da água para consumo humano. Desafios para o município: estudo de caso em Barbacena-MG / Epidemiologic surveillance and drinking water quality surveillance. Challenges for the municipality. Case study in Barbacena Minas Gerais state

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2005

RESUMO

The relation between drinking water quality and diseases occurrence is already well known. In this sense, supplying safe water, that is, which matches the standards established by the legislation and does not represent any human health risk, is crucial to ensure the populations health. Amongst the activities of the Environmental Surveillance related to drinking water quality, the brazilian legislation points to the development of risk evaluation studies, getting together information obtained by the surveillance health services (Environmental and Epidemiological) and those obtained form the water suppliers (water quality control). The present study aimed to demonstrate the potential for fully developing, in local basis, the Drinking Water Quality Surveillance duties, trying from a risk evaluation perspective, to identify drinking water related hazards and demonstrate the association between the identified hazards and the occurrence of diarrhea diseases. The data used in this study included (March 2002 to March 2004): (i) treated water quality of five water supply systems monitored by the Barbacena Municipal Water and Sewage Department (DEMAE) (ii) sanitary conditions and diarrhea occurrence amongst children under two years old recorded in the Family Health Program (PSF), and available from the Municipal Public Health Department (DEMASP). The epidemiological data referred to six sanitary regions covered by the PSF (Carmo, Funcionários, Grogotó, Santa Cecília, Santa Efigênia e Vilela) and, from three districts (Correia de Almeida, Padre Brito and Senhora das Dores). The water supply systems studied were named (i) ETA I and ETA II in the main district; (ii) ETA III, ETA IV and ETA V, supplying the districts of Correia de Almeida, Padre Brito and Senhora das Dores, respectively. The water sampling sites were the distribution reservoirs located next to the water treatment plants (ETAs) and points along the distribution network. The data treated using descriptive Epidemiology techniques and correlation statistical tests. Also, the data were used to identify and classify associated hazards to each water supply sistems studied based on the Manual de Procedimentos de Vigilância em Saúde Ambiental relacionada à Qualidade da Água para Consumo Humano, with modifications. In general, Barbacena showed a good sanitary infrastructure (water supply and sanitation), being the sanitary regions of Carmo de Vilela and Senhora das Dores those with less services coverage. None of the water supply systems fully matched the minimal sampling requirements or attended the water drinking standards establish by the brazilian legislation. Based on the obtained results, a ranking of the water supply health related hazards is proposed. Only ETA II system was classified as of low hazard, whereas all the others would be in a category of high hazard (ETA I, ETA III, ETA IV, ETA V). The results pointed out the need for a better water quality monitoring and treatment control. The diarrhea prevalence amongst children under two years old during the studied period reached higher values in the Funcionários region (7,79%) and in the Senhora das Dores District (4,12%). There was no statistically significant difference between the diarrhea occurrence in the sanitary regions and in the districts (c2 = 3,19; p = 0,074). No seasonal pattern was detected in the diarrhea occurrence in any of the regions studied, probably due to the short study period. The results of the correlation analyzes between diarrhea occurrence amongst children under two years old and water quality variables were not much consistent. However it does not exempt the water supply from the possibility of diseases transmission, given the detected problems of water quality control problems. Finally this work demonstrates the powerful possibilities of treating together the water quality and epidemiological datas obtainable from the Health Surveillance and Water Supply Services, including a proposal for the classification of water supply system health related hazards. It is hoped that such a proposal can be further tested and eventually validated as a useful tool for the day to day Water Quality Surveillance activities.

ASSUNTO(S)

diarrhea diarréia em crianças qualidade saneamento aplicado a saude do homem children water quality Água epidemiologia epidemiology

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