Water
WATER QUALITY
The Doce River water can be consumed after undergoing conventional treatment in municipal supply systems. This is attested by more than 3 million data generated annually by Brazil’s largest watercourse monitoring system, created by the Renova Foundation in 2017 to monitor the Doce River.
Water quality is analyzed before and after passing through water treatment plants (ETAs). The analysis, which is the responsibility of local concessionaires, takes place in more than 300 points scattered in 30 municipalities before the water is distributed to the population.
The results of the water monitoring in the Doce River basin are available for consultation on the Monitoring The Doce River portal, an action which is part of the Water Monitoring Program, conducted by the Renova Foundation under the supervision of the Technical Monitoring Group (GTA-PMQQS), which is linked to the Inter-federative Committee (CIF).
Learn more about Renova Foundation’s actions focused on Water Management in the special report “Jornada para Recuperação” (Recovery Jorney).
WATER MONITORING
The PMQQS was implemented on July 31, 2017, with an expected duration of 10 years. The program conducts real-time extensive and detailed monitoring of the conditions of the impacted watercourses. The objective is to monitor how the water quality parameters evolve overtime at 92 points, from Mariana (MG) to the river mouth in Linares (ES). Twenty-two automatic stations transmit daily data, supporting the preventive planning for the basin supply systems.
MONITORING AT 92 POINTS IN IMPACTED WATERCOURSES:
X-RAY OF DOCE RIVER BASIN MONITORING
(activate the English subtitles)
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WATER TREATMENT?
The Renova Foundation has invested in the improvement of 13 Water Treatment Systems, and ten pipelines have been delivered so far. Although a work schedule is in place for water care, the water quality’s responsibility remains with the entities that operated the supply systems before the Fundao collapsed.
Below, you will find the operators responsible for treating water in the municipalities affected by the Fundao dam collapse. In case of any doubt, consumers should reach out to their town hall for more information.
| Municipality | System Operator |
| 1. Mariana (Central Area) | SAAE |
| Mariana (some districts) | SAAE or Municipal Government |
| 2. Barra Longa (Central Area) | Copasa |
| Barra Longa (Gesteira) | Municipal Government |
| 3. Doce River | Municipal Government |
| 4. Santa Cruz do Escalvado | Municipal Government |
| 5. Sem-Peixe | Municipal Government |
| 6. Rio Casca | Copasa |
| 7. Sao Jose do Goiabal | Municipal Government |
| 8. Sao Pedro dos Ferros | Municipal Government |
| 9. Raul Soares | SAAE |
| 10. Dionisio | Municipal Government |
| 11. Corrego Novo | Municipal Government |
| 12. Bom Jesus do Galho | Municipal Government |
| 13. Pingo D’Agua | Municipal Government |
| 14. Sao Domingos do Prata | Municipal Government |
| 15. Marlieria | Municipal Government |
| 16. Timoteo | Copasa |
| 17. Ipatinga | Copasa |
| 18. Ipaba | Municipal Government |
| 19. Santana do Paraiso | Copasa |
| Municipality | System Operator |
| 20. Belo Oriente | SAAE |
| 21. Naque | Municipal Government |
| 22. Iapu | Municipal Government |
| 23. Bugre | Municipal Government |
| 24. Periquito | Copasa |
| 25. Alpercata | Copasa |
| 26. Governador Valadares | SAAE |
| 27. Sobralia | Municipal Government |
| 28. Fernandes Tourinho | Copasa |
| 29. Tumiritinga | Copasa |
| 30. Galileia | SAAE |
| 31. Caratinga | Copasa |
| 32. Conselheiro Pena | SAAE |
| 33. Resplendor | Copasa |
| 34. Itueta | Copasa |
| 35. Aimores: | SAAE |
| 36. Baixo Guandu | SAAE |
| 37. Colatina | Sanear |
| 38. Marilandia | SAAE |
| 39. Linhares | SAAE |
BIODIVERSITY MONITORING
Renova Foundation acts on two fronts for biodiversity actions: monitoring and producing studies. Both cover terrestrial flora and fauna and aquatic biota in the Doce River basin, from the Mariana region to the mouth, including the Espírito Santo State coast. Technologies such as drones and the Rapeld method are used, which collect data on plants and animals from dividing the soil into lots.
From the result of this joint work, guidelines for the preservation of the ecosystem were established along the Doce River, at the mouth and in the coastal zone. This work also provides subsidies for studies on the consumption of fish in human food and on the fishing activity of native species without threat to the continuity of the local fauna.
FISHING
The Renova Foundation works to restore the socioeconomic and environmental conditions for the resumption of aquaculture and fishing activities.
Currently, fishing for exotic species is allowed in Minas Gerais. The capture of native species is prohibited on the stretch of the Doce River in Minas Gerais and some natural lagoons in the state as a way to ensure the repopulation of native species. The measure was imposed by the State Forestry Institute (IEF). In Espirito Santo, an action by the Federal Prosecution Service prohibits fishing in the coastal area of the mouth of the Doce River, up to 20 meters deep, between Barra do Riacho (Aracruz) and Degredo/Ipiranguinha (Linhares).
The permission to resume the activities depends on the evaluation by agencies affiliated to the Ministry of Environment, National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), and regulators at the state level.
After overcoming fishing restrictions in the basin, one of the main challenges will be to restore market and consumer confidence. The Renova Foundation is working hard to get the fish quality certified, searching for data regarding its consumption as human food and establishing directives for the preservation of the ecosystem along the Doce River.
FOREST RESTORATION
Integrated management of natural resources and strategic territorial planning are fundamental for the recovery of the area impacted by the collapse. In practice, this means that they are interconnected and complement each other, considering the region as a whole.
Therefore, Forest Restoration plays a central role in the restoration process. The springs resurgence is necessary to strengthen the health of the rivers, which will not happen without reforestation, the increase of riparian forests, and areas protecting riverbanks and plains.
The forest restoration program is considered one of the largest ever carried out in a hydrographic basin in the world and will have investments of approximately R$ 1.2 billion. Activities have so far reached 1,355 hectares in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo states, an area equivalent to 1,300 football fields. To carry out the activities, the Renova Foundation mainly employs local labor, such as that of small farmers.
In the work front for the recovery of springs, around 1,500 have started the recovery process. The Renova Foundation will recover 5,000 springs in total. The infiltration of water into the soil and drainage improve the quality of the river water, and the planting, by providing the land with sufficient conditions to retain rainwater, protects the water sources and favors forest regeneration.
1 million seedlings have been produced to be used in the recovery of the springs
680 rural producers take part in the forest restoration actions
720 rural properties are partners in the recovery of springs
WHAT ABOUT THE TAILINGS?
After the collapse of the Fundao dam, in 2015, the mud that remained deposited occupied banks, plains, river channels and streams in different ways, according to the relief of each region. Both on the river banks and beds, there was an accumulation of tailings.
More than 80 specialists were gathered by the Renova Foundation to develop the tailings management plan, a set of solutions that prioritize the treatment of tailings in the river and its surroundings, without it being removed, which would cause an even greater environmental impact.
The affected region covers 670 km of watercourses and was divided into 17 sections. The Renova Foundation defined the most appropriate actions and techniques for the repair of each one, based on the specific indicators of each part, such as volume, thickness and characteristics of the tailings, in addition to the environmental conditions.
To learn more about how we are dealing with the tailings, click here.
SEWAGE AND SOLID WASTE TREATMENT
A fundamental action for the revitalization of the Doce River is the compensatory measure that provides for the allocation of R$ 600 million by the Renova Foundation to 39 municipalities impacted by the tailings for projects that improve the collection and treatment of sewage and adequate disposal of solid waste. This is a point that transversally will help in the recovery of the river.
The preservation of tributaries and investments in sewage treatment can lead the Doce River to a level of depollution that has not been seen for many years. Reducing illegal sewage disposal contributes to better oxygenation of the water and less contamination, restoring the health of the river and, consequently, of the entire surrounding ecosystem.
Until now, R$ 15, 45 million were transferred to sanitary sewage and solid waste actions to the municipalities of Alpercata (MG State), Córrego Novo (MG State), Dionísio (MG State), Fernandes Tourinho (MG State), Iapu (MG State), Ipaba (MG State), Ipatinga (MG State), Itueta (MG State), Marliéria (MG State), Rio Casca (MG State), São José do Goiabal (MG State), São Domingos do Prata (MG State), Sem-Peixe (MG State), Baixo Guandu (ES State), Colatina (ES State), Linhares (ES State) and Vale do Piranga Multisectoral Intermunicipal Consortium (CIMVALPI). Six municipalities have already started works for the treatment of sewage and solid waste with funds transferred by the Renova Foundation.