Water quality modeling in urban basins macrodrainage systems

ABSTRACT

Removal of vegetation cover and the expansion of impermeable land, together with the inefficiency of basic sanitation services, contribute to the increase of point and diffuse pollutant loads drained by rainwater, causing negative impacts at drainage system. As the illegal discharging of domestic sewage in drainage canals is a reality observed throughout the country, especially in urban areas, today the main concern of managers and researchers is directed to the point sources of pollution and, despite the importance, diffuse sources have received little attention. This work aims to model the rainwater quality using the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) from the evaluation of buildup pollutants on the soil surface in dry periods and the washoff during precipitation events in the Riacho do Prado watershed located in the urban area of Campina Grande, Paraíba. Eight points were monitored at the drainage canal, in which the variables BOD₅, COD, and total phosphorus were analyzed, in addition to flow determination. The results obtained on the simulations of behavior of pollutants in time scale for the actual event of 06/08/2018 were in agreement with the values observed at laboratory analyses, confirming the efficiency of results for the other simulations. The previous days without rain and the intensity of precipitation were important in the analysis of the pollutant load.

Keywords:
quality of drainage water; mathematical modeling; Storm Water Management Model