Reservoirs play a fundamental role in the distribution and storage of water. In Blumenau, after the precious resource is captured at different points of the Itajaí Azú River, the transformation of raw water into drinking water begins and in this context the important work of structures with a reserve capacity of about 35 million people comes into play.
Blumenau has 65 bodies of water, small and large. Photo: Reproduction/NDTV.The reservoirs are critical to the municipality’s water supply system. Among the functions that the structures perform are network pressure control, continuous supply to the population, assistance during periods of peak demand, and the safety and flexibility of the Blumenau water supply system.
By balancing supply and demand, collecting water when demand is low and releasing it during peaks, reservoirs help meet additional needs of the population.
“They also allow network maintenance to be carried out without interrupting the supply, since stored water can be used during this work. Another contribution to the system is to ensure good water quality. Samae often carries out laboratory tests not only on the treatment plant, but also on what is stored in the tank,” notes Samae Blumenau civil engineer (Municipal Autonomous Water Supply and Sewerage Service) Graciele Peixer García.
The engineer also explains that one of the main functions of the structures is to control the pressure in the system. This is because the tanks help maintain a constant pressure in the network, avoiding fluctuations that could lead to pipe bursts, for example.
To provide drinking water to more than 90 thousand connections in Blumenau, regular maintenance of the tanks ensures the efficient operation of the distribution system.
Samae’s supervision work in the facilities guarantees the safety of the facilities in Blumenau. “This type of material, for example, is used all over the world. Its design is designed taking into account safety and the required loads. When it comes to location, we always take into account its sales quota and how it affects the supply chain,” says Graziele.
What are the water supply problems in Blumenau?
A city full of landforms, high points and hills poses a number of challenges to the water supply system.
Luis Enrique Tomaso, a mechanical engineer from Samae’s valve monitoring sector, explains that, for example, the treatment plant in the Salto area has a height of 15 meters above sea level, and the municipality needs to pump water to a height of more than 100 meters. . The pumped water must cross the entire valley, passing through the mountains, where it rises under pressure, and then Samae regulates the force of the water in the lower parts.
“Samae is doing everything it can, we have a very old catchment area, we have several projects to build new pipelines, new treatment. Projects are ongoing and we are constantly improving the city, trying to provide quality and continuous service to the population,” says Tomaso.
Source: Ndmais