IMA releases the latest weekly bathing report for the summer season in Santa Catarina

Photo: Marco Fávero / Secom

With the end of summer, the Santa Catarina Environmental Institute (IMA) releases this Wednesday, the 27th, the last weekly bathing report of the season. From April to October, the research will be published by the Institute on a monthly basis.

The last weekly report of the season brings consolidated information on the results of the collections carried out on March 25th and 26th, 2024. According to the samples collected, in the 238 points monitored by the Institute on the coast of Santa Catarina, 175 are suitable for bathing, which represents 73.53%. In Florianópolis, of the 87 points, 64 are suitable for bathing, which is equivalent to 73.56%.

All information, comparisons and technical considerations this week are contained in the report that can be seen at the link: https://balneabilidade.ima.sc.gov.br/relatorio/downloadPDF/2024-03-27

On the website https://balneabilidade.ima.sc.gov.br/ the information is updated automatically and every citizen can follow the reports issued, as well as the most up-to-date result of the property of each point, just click on the little flags that appear on the map or check the ‘history’ menu.

The IMA Bathing Monitoring Program covers 28 coastal municipalities and more than 100 beaches and/or resorts from the South to the North of Santa Catarina, comprising the cities of: Araranguá, Balneário Arroio do Silva, Balneário Gaivota, Balneário Camboriú, Balneário Barra do South, Balneário Rincão, Barra Velha, Biguaçu, Bombinhas, Florianópolis, Garopaba, Governador Celso Ramos, Imbituba, Itajaí, Itapema, Itapoá, Jaguaruna, Joinville, Laguna, Navegantes, Palhoça, Paulo Lopes, Passo de Torres, Penha, Balneário Piçarras, Porto Belo, São Francisco do Sul and São José.

Methodology and legislation

The IMA has all the materials and mechanisms considered sufficient and appropriate to carry out the Bathing Monitoring Program in the state, the second largest in Brazil, with 238 monitored points and in force since 1976. The materials used are those defined by the method 9223b of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater23rd edition, whose manufacturing and distribution is carried out by a single company (IDEXX) with its own representative in Brazil (IDEXX BRASIL LABORATÓRIOS LTDA).

As for the so-called collection mechanism, IMA follows the standards established by the Sample Collection and Preservation Guide of the National Water Agency (ANA) and Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (CETESB). The samples are analyzed using the fluorogenic method using Colilert-18 as substrate, according to guidelines from the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater23rd edition, Method 9223 B, which consists of quantifying total coliforms and Escherichia coli.

According to Conama Resolution nº 274, of November 29, 2000, the point is considered OWN when in 80% or more of a set of samples collected in the last 5 previous weeks, in the same location, there are a maximum of 800 Escherichia coli per 100 milliliters. The point is considered IMPROPER when in more than 20% of a set of samples collected in the last five previous weeks, in the same location, it is greater than 800 Escherichia coli per 100 milliliters or when, in the last collection, the result is greater than 2000 Escherichia coli per 100 milliliters.

Disclosure

The IMA Bathing Monitoring Program follows a advance collection schedule https://www.ima.sc.gov.br/index.php/qualidade-ambiental/balneabilidade/cronogramas-e-coletas providing transparency and publicity to the process. This way, every citizen can monitor when collection will take place at a certain point. As the analyzes are completed by the IMA laboratory, the point result is automatically updated and can be checked on the site map https://balneabilidade.ima.sc.gov.br/ and on the Praia Segura app of the Santa Catarina Military Fire Department (CBMSC).

To monitor the results of the collections, simply click on the flags at the point of interest and check the status of the beach property and the date of the last collection carried out at the location on the website map. The site also has the history menua research space where it is possible to access dates, times, wind conditions, tide, among other information that is recorded at the time of collection and the results of the appropriate or inappropriate condition of each sampled point.

From November to March, IMA monitors the bathing ability of Santa Catarina’s beaches weekly, and on Fridays, it publishes a release with the balance of the week. Between the months of April and October, research and dissemination are monthly.