The Renova Foundation and the City of Governador Valadares announced, this Thursday 10/27, as provided for in the Transaction and Conduct Adjustment Term (TTAC – Termo de Transação e de Ajustamento de Conduta), they will start that studies for the water pipeline implementation project in the Suaçuí Grande river, located in the northern region of the city. This project is a commitment taken on by the Renova Foundation as a repair and make up action for the Valadares region. The new pipeline will be 22 kilometers (13.6 miles) long and have a 900-liter (5.8 gallons) flow rate per second, and may reduce by 65% the dependency on the Doce River for public supply in the region.
Technical studies have shown appropriate and sustainable water availability for the water intake of the Suaçuí Grande River, even in dry seasons. A thorough study was performed, taking as a reference the worst drought in the last ten years and even in case of this extreme scenario, concluded the implementation of the Suaçuí Grande pipeline is feasible. Authorities have already attested water availability, which was formalized in meetings with the Interfederative Committee.
The water from the pipeline will arrive at the Central Water Treatment Plant and the City will therefore count on more than one supply source, besides the Doce River. The water withdrawal from the Doce river will continue as normal and will supply the population with the same water quality, as was confirmed by several independent lab reports and the monitoring performed by the Autonomous Water Sanitation Service (SAAE).
The project takes into account a deadline of three years for the total execution of the construction, after complying, especially the stages involving permits, authorizations and engineering. Even though all the efforts of the Foundation are directed toward the reduction of the deadlines, they depend on profound studies on topography and drillings, as well as the already mentioned stages of permits and authorizations, as outlined for constructions of this kind.
Announcement about the implementation of the water pipeline in the Suaçuí Grande River, in Governador Valadares/MG. | Photo: Leonardo Morais
The Renova Foundation
The Renova Foundation is an autonomous and independent institute founded to repair the damage caused by the collapse of the Fundão dam, property of Samarco Mineração S.A., located in Mariana (MG). A private non-profit organization, created to guarantee transparency, legitimacy and a sense of urgency of a complex and long term process. a set of The Foundation was established by means of the Transaction and Conduct Adjustment Term (TTAC), signed between Samarco, its shareholders, the federal government and the state governments of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, as well as a several of authorities, foundations and institutes (like Ibama, the Chico Mendes Institute, the National Water Agency, the State Forestry Institute, Funai, Governmental Departments of Environment, among others), in March 2016.