Aproveitamento imediato da água da chuva

Abstract

The rainwater will soon be valued as the safest water for human consumption, with good quality for various purposes, requiring in many cases only a simplified treatment for purification. In Brazil, the use of rainwater occurs for centuries, but the immediate uptake in the urban environment still incipient, and in rural areas it was only in the last decade that the construction of rainwater collection systems has spread as a diffuse water supply system. There is wide international and domestic technological knowledge which must be used in a more competent way for the immediate use of rainwater, especially to maximize the benefit/cost relation, increase the sanitary security of the systems and ensure water quality. This paper aims to show the advantages of immediate use of rainwater, as well as presents and comments the advances in this field, evaluates and discusses water safety and sanitary protection of the capture and storage system. Highlights the attention that should be given to the first millimeters of each rain, as they have great influence on the quality of runoff water stored in cisterns, as this amount is usually enough to wash the atmosphere and catchment surface. Therefore, if this water is discarded (first flush), the rest of rainwater has good quality for various uses. First flush devices are simple, inexpensive and can discard the first millimeter of each rain automatic. Regarding to the government actions in recent decades for implantation of cisterns in rural areas in Brazil, it is necessary to give a step forward on the development and adaptation of technology and maintain or accelerate the actions, but without losing the conquered policy guidelines, focused on social justice and citizenship