Brasília, 6/27/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Two pilot projects are about to begin which will explore the use of deep wells in the Brazilian semi-arid region. The goal is to find water which can be used for human consumption and agriculture, as well as stored in tanks for aquaculture. Three research institutes, Centro de Tecnologia Mineral (Cetem), the Observatório Nacional (ON) and the Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria (IRB), are working in Lagoa Real, Bahia, and Guaribas, Piauí, on project problems: well digging, desalination, water purification and aquaculture.
The author and coordinator of the project is a mining engineer, Gildo de Sá Albuquerque. He says he believes that when the system becomes workable it can be used throughout the region where there is a severe shortage of water. "This will be a source of income and protein for these people," says Albuquerque, looking ahead to when the project will supply the Zero Hunger program with fish.
So far the three research institutes have paid for the feasibility studies in the regions. The next stage will be expensive and a request for financing will be made to the Ministry of Science and Technology. Drilling through hard rock can cost as much as R$1,000 per meter. According to Albuquerque, water may be as far down as 300 meters.
Another problem is the crystalline rock in the region of Lagoa Real which, as it dissolves, makes the water brackish. That will call for a special purification process. According to Albuquerque, off-the-shelf membrane filters to remove salt cause a large loss of water, "As much as half the water is lost," he says. The Chemistry Institute at the Rio de Janeiro Federal University, an experienced specialist in the membrane filtering area, is working on that problem.
The research opportunities created by the project are numerous. Also under study is the possibility of powering the project with solar energy. And a survey is being made of possible contamination by uranium because of a factory that works with uranium that is located near Lagoa Real. (AB)
