Pesquisa e desenvolvimento na área de saneamento no Brasil: necessidades e tendências / Research and development on environmental sanitation in Brazil: needs and trends

O artigo aborda um conjunto de dimensões envolvidas na pesquisa e desenvolvimento em saneamento, contextualizadas na realidade nacional. São discutidos os antecedentes históricos do tema, o sentido e os fins da pesquisa na área, os objetos e os métodos da investigação. Os temas da formação de recursos humanos, da divulgação, da transferência de tecnologia, do fomento e da avaliação da pesquisa são introduzidos, destacando a necessidade de seu aprofundamento. Apresenta-se uma proposta de protocolo para classificação e seleção de P&D na área e este é aplicado em caráter de exercício. O trabalho conclui pela constatação de diversas carências no tema, resultando nas necessidades de: inventário das iniciativas e programas existentes que fomentam a pesquisa na área; avaliação da base social sobre a qual esta se sustenta; debate sobre os objetos da investigação e sua base conceitual de suporte; debate metodológico; prospecção sobre temas de investigação, a partir de protocolo e metodologia apropriados. Finaliza-se com a proposta de elaboração de um plano diretor de pesquisas em saneamento, que forneça as bases e respalde uma futura política de pesquisas na área.

Development of an evaluation criteria for rural water supply and environmental sanitation programme in project and non-project villages--a case study.

The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) in project and non-project villages of Mysore Taluk has been evaluated and discussed in this paper. The study area covered two villages (Yelwala and Kadakola) where Integrated Water Supply Scheme (IRWSS) was implemented under World Bank Project and two non-project villages (Belwadi and Byathahalli) closer to them. Pre and post scenarios of the project and non-project villages were investigated in terms of water quality analysis and also grading of villages has been done on the basis of water supply, sanitation, hygienic awareness and practices. Matrix methodology was used to evaluate the indicators from the survey data gathered from all studied villages. Finally, the villages were graded on the basis of cumulative value obtained for each village. Water quality analysis depicted turbidity, total dissolved solids and hardness being high and iron deficiency was also observed in water samples of all the villages. It was concluded that the present method of evaluation of rural water supply and sanitation project could be effectively applied to different upcoming projects.

Assessment of sanitation conditions by qualitative sanitation measurement.

Survey of sanitation conditions by qualitative sanitation measurement were carried out in three districts, Chachoengsao Province, Thailand. The sanitation of each household was assessed in terms of positive stool examination and scores of seven main sanitary activities which were used to classify each household's sanitation as hygienic or non-hygienic. Stool collections were made from each household's housewife and examined for pathogenic bacteria and parasites. It was found that in the qualitative measurement of the household's sanitation as hygienic or non-hygienic, most sanitary activities were highly associated with the results of stool examination. From consideration of the sensitivity, specificity and kappa coefficient of significant sanitary activities as predictors and the result of stool examination was used as gold standard, it was apparent that a package of all main sanitary activities was the most appropriate measurement in the survey to assess sanitation conditions in the community.