Colatina

Bet on the future

The 39 municipalities affected have R$ 500 million to create sewage treatment projects and reduce water source contamination.

Colatina

The city of Colatina, in the northwest of Espírito Santo, has the Doce River as its main source of water supply and postcard. On the morning of November 19th,, 2015, 14 days after the Fundão dam failure in Mariana (MG), the tailings reached the city and affected the spring.

Water supply was suspended, which led residents to depend on emergency water distribution. On November 23th, after conducting analysis by the Tommasi laboratory, the municipality again collected water from the spring and restored its supply.

As part of the water security front, the Renova Foundation has refurbished three Colatina Water Treatment Stations (WTSs). Among the interventions performed are repairs and improvements in the collection, decanter, filters and laboratory.

Colatina received, still within the scope of water security, two water pipelines with catchment made in the Pancas and Santa Maria rivers and pumping and adduction capacity of 160 liters and 80 liters per second, respectively. The water pipelines helped the city reduce its dependence on the Doce River.

WTS of Colatina City that had resources from RENOVA Foundation for renovations and improvents

In the image, WTS of Colatina city that had resources from RENOVA Foundation for renovations and improvements. | Photo: Gustavo Baxter / NITRO

Subsequently, wells previously drilled by the Colatina’s Environment and Sanitation Service (Sanear), the body responsible for supplying the municipality, were recovered. According to the expert of the Renova Foundation Water Supply System Improvement Program, Maria de Lourdes Santos, together, the structures correspond to 58% of the city’s water consumption.

In Espírito Santo, in addition to Colatina, three other municipalities of the Doce River basin affected by the tailings have been receiving initiatives related to water security and water quality.

In Baixo Guandu, WTS has been refurbished, and a new pipeline will be built to supply the Mascarenhas district. In Boninsegna, district of Marilandia, a main water supply pipeline will be built on the Doce River. The existing tubular well will be used as an alternative source. In Linhares, WTS will be refurbished and a station will be built in the Regencia district.

The map of WTS in Espírito santo

Regência

Linhares

There will be one renovated WTP

Baixo Guandu

There will be one renovated WTP and one newly constructed

Boninsegma

There will be one newly constructed WTP

Colatina

The Sanitation Project

Degradation is a scenario that is repeated throughout the Doce River basin, which receives 80% of the domestic sewage generated by municipalities of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. Sewage is thrown directly into rivers without any treatment, according to data from the Rio Doce River Basin Committee (CBH-Doce).

80% of the sewage from the municipalities of the Doce River basin goes directly to the springs

The sewage that pollutes the waterways generates, as a side effect, a negative impact on the health of the population. In addition, solid waste generated by municipalities is deposited in dumps, contaminating groundwater and the environment.

A survey released by the National Water Agency (ANA) in 2017 warns that the lack of treatment of sewage compromises more than 110 thousand kilometers of Brazilian rivers that receive waste. A study by Brazil Institute treats that in that same year, there was a fall in investment in sanitation, which returned to the levels of 2011. Governador Valadares is among the ten worst municipalities in relation to the volume of treated sewage: the city has zero index, as well as 22 other municipalities that make up the Doce River basin and which were impacted, as shown below.

Radiography of sanitation in Minas Gerais
Radiography of sanitation in Espírito Santo

*2016
**2015
***2012
The cities of Fernandes Tourinho, Galileia and Sobrália have no data available on Snis.

Source: Snis (National Sanitation Information System); base year: 2017 unless otherwise noted

An initiative that aims to change this reality and leave a legacy for the Doce River basin, the Renova Foundation’s Sewage Collection and Treatment and Solid Waste Collection Program provides R$ 500 million for sewage sanitation projects and proper waste disposal in the 39 municipalities affected by the Fundão dam rupture in Mariana (MG).

The financial resources may be used to design sewage system projects, implement sewage collection and treatment projects, eradicate dumps and expand and improve regional landfills, a selective collection program, a recyclable sorting unit, waste transshipment station, organic treatment units, revision of municipal sanitation plans, among others.

The municipalities also receive technical support and training workshops, which assist in various processes, such as bidding, project design and evaluation, construction monitoring and management improvement. By the end of July, 34 workshops were held for about 200 people from municipalities that are part of the Doce River basin and were affected by the breach of the Fundão dam in Mariana (MG).

“The sanitation program is fundamental for the region. With investments in sewage collection and treatment, in addition to the proper disposal of solid waste in the cities, the Doce River will no longer receive raw sewage contribution, improving the water quality and the living and health conditions of the population, including the disease reduction”, says the coordinator of the Renova Foundation’s Socio-Environmental Program – Sanitation, Bruna Buldrini.

“The sanitation program is fundamental for the region. Investments in sewage collection and treatment improve water quality and the population’s living and health conditions. ”

Bruna Buldrini, Renova Foundation

For municipalities to have access to the resource, there are a number of steps to be taken. The process begins with the definition of the claim, that is, the actions that will be performed in each city, and proceeds for analysis and approval, bidding, work order issuance, service verification, release of funds and accountability. The release of the installments is subject to the proper execution of the work, which will be inspected before each transfer. By the end of July, the municipalities sent 211 applications.

The Minas Gerais Development Bank (BDMG) and the Espírito Santo Development Bank (Bandes) are the financial agents responsible for the transferring to cities, according to the project schedule of each locality. Among the total of R$ 500 million, R$ 390 million are under the responsibility of the Minas Gerais bank, and R $ 110 million, with the institution of Espírito Santo.

See how will be the transfer for sanitation works in the municipalities

Municipalities will also receive training and technical support in the progress of the initiatives

To sum up, R$ 500 million will be invested in sanitation projects

The funds began to be released in April 2019. São José do Goiabal and Rio Casca, in Minas Gerais, were the first to receive funds. Until the end of July, in addition to the two municipalities, Sao Domingos do Prata (MG) and Colatina (ES) also received part of the resource.

The sanitation map

Aimorés (MG)

R$ 11.029.650,50

Alpercata (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Baixo Guandu (ES)

R$ 12.605.314,86

Barra Longa (MG)

R$ 8.695.238,10

Belo Oriente (MG)

R$ 11.029.650,50

Bom Jesus do Galho (MG)

R$ 7.878.321,79

Bugre (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Caratinga (MG)

R$ 22.059.301,00

Colatina (ES)

R$ 43.028.831,34

Conselheiro Pena (MG)

R$ 9.453.986,14

Córrego Novo (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Dionísio (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Fernandes Tourinho (MG)

R$ 2.661.115,58

Galileia (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Governador Valadares (MG)

R$ 63.998.361,67

Iapu (MG)

R$ 6.302.657,43

Ipaba (MG)

R$ 9.453.986,14

Ipatinga (MG)

R$ 17.740.770,56

Itueta (MG)

R$ 2.661.115,58

Linhares (ES)

R$ 47.755.824,41

Mariana (MG)

R$ 71.296.644,86

Marilândia (ES)

R$ 6.302.657,43

Marliéria (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Naque (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Periquito (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Pingo d’Água (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Raul Soares (MG)

R$ 11.029.650,50

Resplendor (MG)

R$ 9.453.986,14

Rio Casca (MG)

R$ 7.878.321,79

Rio Doce (MG)

R$ 2.661.115,58

Santa Cruz do Escalvado (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Santana do Paraíso (MG)

R$ 12.605.314,86

São Domingos do Prata (MG)

R$ 9.453.986,14

São José do Goiabal (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

São Pedro dos Ferros (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Sem-Peixe (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Sobrália (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

Timóteo (MG)

R$ 22.059.301,00

Tumiritinga (MG)

R$ 4.726.993,07

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