Have the water sources that supply the Juruti River, the Jará Lake and the Fifi Creek been polluted by Alcoa’s activities?
The water sources have not been polluted. Soil conservation and water course protection measures have been taken in the Juruti Mine. The PCAs for monitoring water and soil protect the water sources with physical barriers and drainage. In addition, the final effluent is of excellent quality and fully in line with the parameters established by Resolution 357/05 of the National Council of the Environment (CONAMA). The treatment process for the sanitary waste from the project area is biological, comprising an aerated pond for complete mixture, followed by settlement ponds, a wetland, a disinfection box and an infiltration pond. This is a simple, easily operated and low cost system. Macrophytes are planted in it, which guarantee that nutrients are recycled, organic material is removed and the pathogenic organisms in the waste-water are reduced. Everyday at the Juruti Mine the formation of algae is monitored and the pond is cleaned, removing the leaves and small branches, in addition to putt
