PROTOCOLO PARA AVALIAÇÃO DA QUALIDADE SANITÁRIA E AMBIENTAL EM BALNEÁRIOS DE ÁGUAS DOCES NO BRASIL.

The recreational water use is one of the most noble uses of water resources, given its historical importance to society, as a leisure alternative in natural environments. However, freshwater monitoring is scarce, besides presenting an outdated legislation that does not include or establish standards for other variables, as physical risks and aesthetic quality. Seeking to complement the current methodology based in water quality, established by CONAMA no 274/2000, this paper aims to develop an assessment protocol, including health, aesthetic and safety aspects for integrated assessment of recreational areas to guide the establishment and/or conducting monitoring programs according local specificities. To prepare the proposal, a survey of sanitary inspection indicators applied to freshwater recreational areas was carried out, through the analysis of reference manuals, technical and academic works, selecting those ones with greater relevance and applicability to freshwater in Brazil, including aspects of local infrastructure, drainage area conditions and safety of recreational water contact. The protocol produced was applied in five recreational sites of the Estrada Real - Minas Gerais, to test the proposed methodology. The protocol developed, adapted to the Brazilian context, is consistent with the main guidelines used by environmental agencies in countries with a long tradition in the management of recreational waters. This complementary tool for water quality assessment, allows the identification of potential risk factors for recreational practice, which are not detected in conventional water quality assessments, and may guide the establishment and/or conduct monitoring programs, according local specificities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]