You springs, also called springs, include all freshwater sources (surface and underground) on the planet that supply water to the population.
waterfalls of Iguaçu
They can be rivers, lakes, streams, dams, groundwater, being used, above all, for public supply. In other words, they are essential for human life, for example, potable water for drinking, cooking, bathing, irrigation, among others.
Ecological Problems
The main problem related to water courses is precisely the pollution they have been suffering from urbanization, industrialization, deforestation, etc. Therefore, water reserves have been compromised and the water crisis that Brazil has been going through in recent decades demonstrates this.
polluted river
The commitment of several important rivers in the supply of cities has been the biggest problem. As a notorious example we can mention the Tietê River, which crosses the city of São Paulo and looks more like an “open sewer”, which is totally polluted. This affects humans and animals, thus unbalancing the ecosystem.
Spring Protection Laws
In São Paulo, the State Law for the Protection of Water Sources, nº 9866, was enacted in 1997. She warns of the importance and preservation of springs, with the following objectives:
"Art. 2º. The objectives of this law are:
I. preserve and recover springs of regional interest in the State of São Paulo;
II. reconcile actions to preserve water sources and those to protect the environment with land use and occupation and socioeconomic development;
III. promote participatory management, integrating government sectors and instances, as well as civil society;
IV. decentralize the planning and management of the hydrographic basins of these springs, with a view to their protection and recovery;
V. integrate housing programs and policies to the preservation of the environment.”
Complement your research by reading the articles:
- Groundwater
- Water pollution
- polluted rivers
- The Importance of Water