USE OF RAINWATER FOR POTABLE AND NON-POTABLE PURPOSES: PERCEPTION OF USERS AT UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO ACRE – UFAC

Abstract

The scarcity of drinking water has stimulated the action of national and international institutions in the search for crisis management around water resources, with a focus on sustainability and water security guidelines, which are in line with the metrics of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among the rational measures for managing water resources are systems for capturing rainwater as an alternative source of supply, acting in the conservation of the environment and stimulating the local economy. However, the acceptability of this type of solution still faces obstacles, many of them linked to social, cultural and economic issues. In view of this, the article aimed to analyze the perception of users of the Universidade Federal do Acre on the use of rainwater for potable and non-potable activities. Configured as a case study, the research was anchored in the use of the method of data collection through a questionnaire, applied in digital form and, through descriptive analysis, the characteristics that guide the perception of the academic community on the subject were verified.  The results showed that, in general, there is a high level of knowledge on the subject, motivated by the fact that it is an academic environment, in which access to information, in theory, is broader and more diversified. It was also verified that activities in which there is no consumption or direct contact are more accepted by the analyzed community, that is, there is greater acceptance for activities with non-potable uses of rainwater. Finally, it was concluded that the use of rainwater could reduce costs for the administration of the Campus, as well as contributing to environmental conservation, as well as providing the opportunity to assume social responsibility by using this resource for irrigation and other activities for the benefit of the academic community and surroundings.