Resumo Este artigo visa analisar e compreender a relação entre água e saúde em comunidades rurais situadas na microbacia do igarapé Cumaru, município de Igarapé-Açu (PA), nordeste paraense. São avaliados a captação e o tratamento de água para o consumo humano, considerando as práticas de esgoto sanitário realizadas cotidianamente pela população rural dessa microbacia, visto que têm implicação direta na saúde da população local. Este trabalho baseia-se em pesquisa de campo com uma abordagem quali-quantitativa. Utilizou-se questionário fechado para o levantamento das fontes de captação, saneamento rural e usos de insumos agrícolas. Foram consideradas observações feitas por agricultores familiares da região ao focar o funcionamento do estabelecimento agrícola, a fim de observar de diversos ângulos a relação entre água e saúde no seu entendimento. Observou-se que a vulnerabilidade das fontes de água acessadas pela população é um fator que contribui para a contaminação das fontes, caracterizando consequentemente uma ameaça à saúde da população rural. Entretanto, nota-se a percepção da população quanto às fontes de água mais profundas, como poços tubulares, sendo estes prioritários para captação de água para ingestão.

For sustainable production systems, the nonuse of fire (where there is a greater loss of soil nutrients), would be a solution for the conservation of nutrients in the soil, with the use of management by cutting and grinding, introduction of AFSs (agroforestry systems), and maintenance of riparian vegetation. The concentrations of carbon and nutrients were evaluated in the soil solution in two small hydrographic basins in the municipality of Igarapé-Açu (Pará state) in the eastern Amazon region, Brazil. The evaluations were performed considering the biogeochemical cycling in six land-use classes—riparian forest, secondary forest (capoeira), pasture, slash-and-burn agriculture, chop-and-mulch agriculture, and an agroforestry system (AFS). The objective was to determine the effects of different land-use systems on the composition of the soil solution, aiming to recommend sustainable practices. The concentrations of nutrients were greater in the areas of slash-and-burn agriculture and pasture, indicating greater losses of these nutrients due to runoff and leaching. The loss of nitrate was highest in the slash-and-burn area, while the organic carbon and organic nitrogen losses were greatest in the riparian forest, then in the secondary forest and agroforestry areas.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the feasibility of using rainwater for human consumption as an alternative water supply in the Eastern Amazon, through a social technology for collection and treatment. Theoretical Framework: Despite the region's water abundance, access to potable water is limited, especially in isolated communities. Rainwater harvesting emerges as a viable alternative, provided its quality is rigorously evaluated. Method: The research was conducted in seven households on Ilha das Onças (Barcarena-PA) and one control unit in Belém. Water samples collected from rooftops and stored in cisterns were analyzed before and after treatment with sodium hypochlorite and filtration using activated carbon and polypropylene candles. Physical-chemical parameters (pH and electrical conductivity) were evaluated and compared with commercial brands, while microbiological parameters (coliforms) and trace metals were also analyzed. Results and Discussion: Rainwater had an average pH of 5.16 and conductivity of 9.1 μS·cm⁻¹; after treatment, these values slightly increased but remained below those found in commercial waters. Treatment reduced the microbiological load, although 53.8% of samples still showed total coliforms and 20.5% E. coli. In general, the samples did not show metal concentrations above the levels established by legislation. Research Implications: The results suggest that, with proper operation and maintenance, rainwater harvesting and treatment systems are a viable solution for water supply in Amazonian communities. Originality/Value: The study highlights a low-cost, sustainable alternative adapted to the region’s socio-environmental context for promoting health and well-being.