Contribuição per capita de esgoto fecal em residências de comunidades quilombolas rurais

Abstract

The accuracy and efficiency of developing sanitation infrastructure projects are directly linked to the use of water consumption data that reflect the reality of local communities. This study aimed to determine the per capita contribution of fecal sewage (Cp) in two rural households in the state of Goiás, Brazil. Measurements were taken during the dry season in two houses located in quilombola communities, with different numbers of inhabitants (five and one, respectively). For data collection, a volumetric water meter (with a nominal flow rate of 1.5 m3/h) was installed on the water supply line to the toilet(s) of each residence. The results indicated a variation in Cp from 7.04 to 32.35 L/capita/day, with averages of 12.66 and 22.05 L/capita/day. These values are within the range found in similar studies for rural areas, with a minimum value of 9.9 L/capita/day and a maximum of 33.0 L/capita/day. Comparing the obtained data with the values estimated in the literature, it was observed that direct measurements tend to be more accurate. This finding highlights the importance of direct measurements to reduce or avoid construction costs. Therefore, it is recommended to expand measurements to include households with different demographic and geographic characteristics, also considering meteorological data, in order to obtain more representative results.