Abstract
ABSTRACT Environmental pollution is a problem that has been noted due to changes in the environment, affecting natural resources. Regarding the soil, it may offer great potential for waste disposal. Thus, this study aims to propose criteria for evaluating local suitability for waste disposal, according to soil and terrain attributes for southern Minas Gerais State, and to apply those criteria to define the most appropriate locations for installation of septic systems in a pilot watershed. Literature and the authors' experience were used to propose the more important criteria regarding the suitability of sites for waste disposal. The set of attributes taken into account was grouped into four suitability classes: Adequate, Regular, Restricted and Inadequate. The defined criteria and considered limiting were: soil depth, texture, textural gradient, structure, natural drainage, water infiltration, type of surface horizon, water table depth, depth of perched water table, distance from water bodies, relief, stoniness, rockiness and risk of flooding. From these, soil depth, natural drainage, water table depth, relief and distance from water bodies were adopted for the installation of septic systems. From the total area of the watershed, 5.29% fit in the Adequate suitability class. The Regular, Restricted, and Inadequate sites accounted for, respectively, 19.72%, 41.99% and 33% of the wathershed. Factors such as soil and terrain attributes provide a basis for defining more appropriate places for waste disposal. Future work should involve the refinement of these propositions, since there are rare studies in this research line in Brazil.
Highlights
Environmental pollution is a major problem that has been noted due to changes occurring in the environment, being them natural or anthropic, and that directly affect the lives of human and animal beings
The aims of this study are to propose criteria for evaluating local suitability for the final disposal of waste, according to soil and terrain attributes, for southern Minas Gerais State, and to apply those criteria for the installation of septic tanks followed by drain fields in a pilot watershed
We focused on the importance of soil as a receiver and absorber of effluents, taking into account the topographic variables, engineering aspects for the construction of this type of system was not contemplated (Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas-Abnt, 1993)
Summary
Environmental pollution is a major problem that has been noted due to changes occurring in the environment, being them natural or anthropic, and that directly affect the lives of human and animal beings. In relation to the soil, in addition to its importance for food production, it offers great potential as a means of disposal or recycling wastes due to its capacity to promote the modification of organic and inorganic compounds by means of chemical reactions, physical or biological processes. It functions as a filter, decreasing the residue contamination and preventing many pollutants to get in contact with groundwater. The release of untreated domestic wastewater is a problem that affects both urban and rural areas In the latter, sanitation is almost inexistent in most Brazilian regions. A way to minimize this type of problem is the installation of septic tanks followed by drain field systems
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