Installation of desalination systems in rural communities in the semi-arid region of Rio Grande do Norte: social perceptions of drinking water and actions aimed at expanding their universal access

Abstract

Installing water infrastructure is one of the strategies to support the development of productive activities in Brazil’s semiarid region. This study seeks to assess how rural community members, from 24 municipalities in the semiarid region of Rio Grande do Norte, perceive desalination technologies aimed at making water available for human consumption. Three semi-structured forms were used to interview different groups of individuals from 42 communities who benefited from the Água Doce Program (PAD), such as managers of desalination systems (n = 42), user families (n = 160), and non-users (n = 87). Results reveal that 53% of the families were users of desalinization systems. Most of the fixed monthly expenses, such as an electricity tax (62%), the operator’s salary (90%), and a reserve fund (100%), were paid by the communities. Only 18% of users considered that the potable water system was adequate before the desalination plants were installed. After the technology was installed, the management model was implemented, and both service performance and risks affecting how the systems function were scored and evaluated. Although the interviewees recognized the importance of technology in expanding community water security, the present work highlights the need for greater public awareness of regulatory and public health instruments, aimed at facilitating the incorporation of these potable sources in Brazil’s semiarid region.