SOIL AND GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATIONS BY SANITARY EFFLUENT IN PERMANENT PRESERVATION AREA WITH MACROPHYTES AND GRASSES

Abstract

One of the biggest problems related to water pollution in Brazil can be considered the release of untreated effluent. The environmental monitoring and development of information systems is of major interest to the local population and authorities and may create a social behavior change that improve life quality. The main objective of this paper is to monitor the discharge of wastewater, their transport through soil and groundwater contamination in an area located in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. There were monitored four effluents point sources, four shallow wells (diluted wastewater into the ground) and two groundwater wells. Sewage dumped in this area undergo treatment systems consisting of tank and septic anaerobic filter. However, it was found that the contaminants transport occurs in the vertical and horizontal soil profiles, reaching surface waters and groundwater. Thus, measures to improve wastewater treatment systems in the area must be taken. The methodological approach to monitoring has shown the contaminants removal by soil-plant substrate filtering. Keywords: waste management, final deposition, soil, sewage treatment, aquifer.