Gerenciamento de demanda de água em ambientes de uso público: o caso da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande.

Abstract

Water, which is essential for sustaining life, is increasingly scarce, especially in semiarid regions such as northeastern Brazil, characterized by successive droughts. The management of water demand (MWD) is a sustainable solution - based on efficiency, ensuring water availability in the future, through the conscious use in the present. In this context, this research was based on these concepts in order to promote a reduction in water consumption. The case of the Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG) was studied, since it is a public setting, a large consumer of water and subjected to large water losses. In the analysis, the site and the supply system of UFCG were diagnosed, as well as the behavior and perception of users related to efficient water use, through interviews, and, finally, simulations of strategies of MWD were performed. It was found that the water demand at UFCG presented an absolute growth of 118% from 2004 to 2010, which was caused by growth of population, construction area, supply system leaks and bad habits of users. Regarding users, it was perceived disapproval of their own water conservation habits. This same assessment about users is shared by the managers of the institution, who considered to implement programs of water use reduction. The simulations showed reduced rates of water consumption up to 50% with the replacement of toilets at bicommand (3/6 liters) flush and a return of investment in less than 12 months. When considering construction of cisterns to capture rainwater and use in the supply of toilets, it was found that for buildings with 8, 6 and 4 toilets, the optimum capacity of the reservoirs are 20 m\ 25 m3 and 40 m3 with a utilization rate of the system in 11%, 18% and 32%, respectively, showing that the strategies are both environmentally and fmancially viable.