Review of the quality of water from wells in São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul and Minas Gerais

Abstract

It is well known that good quality water is essential for the proper functioning of the human body. Thus, groundwater is used for various purposes as an alternative to its scarcity. In this regard, the present study aimed to collect quantitative data from water analyses of wells carried out by LaborLab, a company located in the municipality of Votuporanga-SP, in order to verify the quality of groundwater in municipalities in São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Minas Gerais by analysing the results and comparing them with the acceptance limits of GM/MS Ordinance No. 888 of 2021. Forty independently used wells were evaluated between January and October 2024. Physical-chemical and microbiological analyses were performed using LaborLab methodologies, which are endorsed by Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (2021). The results obtained reveal that in 3 wells (7.5%) nitrate values were above the maximum allowed (10 mg/L-1 of N-NO-3), 22 (55%) had the presence of total coliforms and 4 (10%) also had the presence of thermotolerant bacteria, indicating that the water was not potable. Therefore, observing the parameters of each sample, 29 of the wells (72.5%) had values above the maximum permitted (VMP) by law, thus falling outside the standards of potability, and only 11 of the wells (27.5%) had water suitable for human con-sumption and, therefore, in compliance with current legislation. Thus, the study concluded that rigorous monitoring and proper treatment are necessary for the use of these water sources for human consumption, adopting measures that go beyond technical aspects and a careful eye to ensure the quality of this resource.