22.03.2023
Monitoring of the water quality in the reservoirs of its hydroelectric power plants is done at 87 sampling stations, by professionals specialized in the subject, using drones, probes, and field visits.
To contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and water resources in the watersheds of the hydropower plants operated by CTG Brasil, one of the leaders in clean energy in the country, the company develops a series of actions aligned with the purpose of the World Water Day, celebrated in march 22th. Among them is a broad program for monitoring water quality, which aims to ensure the maintenance of good water quality, the multiple use of the reservoirs, and compliance with environmental legislation.
Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations – which foresees in its sixth goal the protection of water-related ecosystems – the monitoring is carried out in 87 sampling stations located in the reservoirs of the 12 hydroelectric plants and two small hydroelectric plants operated by the company in the Paranapanema, Paraná, Canoas, Verde, and Sapucaí-Mirim rivers.
Professionals from the Environment area are responsible for the monitoring. The data are collected and analyzed on a quarterly basis. By means of boats, the team monitors the reservoirs in the field, using technologies such as multi-parameter probes and drones, in addition to collecting water samples for laboratory analysis.
“The conditions presented by IQA, of good or excellent water quality, favor the multiple use of our reservoirs, such as fishing, tourism, leisure, among other activities”, explains the Environment Manager at CTG Brasil, Rogério Marchetto. The clean energy generated by the company is enough to supply about 16 million Brazilians.
To measure the Water Quality Index (WQI) in these rivers, nine parameters are analyzed: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total solids, thermotolerant coliforms, and turbidity. The results obtained from the beginning of the monitoring up to the present moment reveal a condition of good or excellent water quality.
Awareness
According to Marchetto, the bad use of water resources – such as the lack of sewage treatment and/or pollution caused by pesticides and industrial effluents, for example, besides deforestation, are among the main factors that negatively impact the rivers’ IQA. This is why it is important that the community as a whole engages in the awareness and preservation of these resources.
