ABSTRACT
There has always been a close connection between the location of human settlements and drinking water sources. More recently, growing awareness of the importance of water quality emerges. In spite of this, many children die each year from diseases related to insufficient or contaminated water supply as well as sewage problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that one child died every eight seconds from water-related infectious disease in 1996. Heller and Pádua (2006) pointed out that Brazil must provide all citizens with safe drinking water in order to protect their health and to ensure a sustainable relationship with the environment.
