Difference between revisions of "Team:USP-EEL-Brazil/Legislation"

Introduction

Since the LACQUASE project has its scope focused on the improvement of water quality in Brazil and countries with similar water and sanitary structures, a study was carried out on the current legislation regarding the water treatment process. We aim to adapt our project to meet the quality standards, resolutions and environmental guidelines imposed.

The company Sabespis a Brazilian company that holds the concession of public basic sanitation services in the State of São Paulo, being responsible for the treatment of water in the city of Lorena. In this sense, the company informed us about the criteria and emission parameters of the treated effluents and we had access to the resolutions CONAMA No.357 and Portaria de consolidação No.5 anexo 20.

Analyzing the resolutions

CONAMA is the National Council for the Environment, and its Resolution No.357 dictates water quality rules and specifies the maximum composition of certain organic and inorganic compounds that may be present in each type of water. One of main articles from the resolution is the follows:

Art. 14. Class 1 fresh water shall observe the following conditions and standards:

I - water quality conditions:
1. non-verification of chronic toxic effects to organisms, according to the criteria established by the competent environmental body or, in its absence, by a renowned national or international institutions, by a standardized ecotoxicological test or other recognized methodology.
2. floating materials, including non-natural foams: virtually absent;
3. oils and greases: virtually absent;
4. substances that communicate taste or odor: virtually absent;
5. dyes from anthropic sources: virtually absent;
6. objectionable solid waste: virtually absent;
7. thermotolerant coliforms: for the use of primary contact recreation should be obeyed the standards set in the CONAMA Resolution No. 274 of 2000. For other uses, a limit of 200 thermotolerant coliforms per 100 milliliters should not be exceeded 80% or more, of at least 6 samples, collected during a period of one year, bimonthly. The E. Coli can be determined in place of the thermotolerant coliform parameter of according to limits established by the competent environmental agency;
8. BOD 5 days at 20 ° C to 3 mg / L of oxygen;
9. OD, in any sample, of not less than 6 mg / L O2;
10. turbidity up to 40 nephelometric turbidity units (UNT);
11. true color: natural color level of the body of water in mg Pt / L; and pH: 6.0 to 9.0.

Looking at article 14, it can be seen that the LACQUASE project meets and improves several of the proposed requirements. Degrading endocrine disruptors, that are toxic to organisms, degrade compounds that give estrogenicity in dyes from anthropogenic sources without altering the BOD, color and smell of water are possible conditions using the enzyme laccase in the treatment of effluents.

Observing article 4, topic (a) and (b), it says that effluents treatment has the function of:

1. preserve the natural balance of aquatic communities;
2. preserve aquatic environments in protected areas of integral protection.

It is noted that these topics also meet the LACQUASE project, since we aim to reduce the levels of estrogens in the waters, wich affect directly on aquatic life.

In addition, a table is also provided wich shows the maximum amount of some organic and inorganic components that may be in the water for consumption.

Throuth the table, we can observe that there are still large amount of compounds with estrogenicity that can be degraded to a version less harmful to human being. In addition, the worst part is that the legislation doesn't mention anything about estrogens or endocrine disruptors.

In terms of the population’s health, Sabesp follows the federal Portaria de consolidação No.5 anexo 20. The rule deals with the importance of water for the health of people and shows the competences and obligation of the Brazilian state together with the companies in the treatment and distribution services.

In this sense, we highlight article 22:

Art. 22.- The analytical methodologies for determining the parameters foreseen in this Annex must comply with the latest national or international standards, such as:

1. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, from American Public authorship, Health Association (APHA), American Water Works Association (AWWA) and Water Environment Federation (WEF);
2. United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA);
3. Standards published by International Standardization Organization (ISO);
4. Methodologies recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Knowing that Sabesp meets the performance and safety of international standards for these applications, we can conclude and ensure the viability of LACQUASE as a way to improve the water treatment because we studied Sabesp norms, and it clearly will fit with our parameters.

In this way, all this information can be accessed both from website of Ministry of Health and in Ministry of Environment. In addition, the translations made are for the purposes of the project, that is why, they do not have official dots, just didactic.

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