The Gente Cuidando das Águas project protects and restores springs in Vazante and Lagamar, in Minas Gerais

Nexa's initiative takes care of the water sources of the Santa Catarina River.

The "Gente Cuidando das Águas" project aims to preserve 134 springs located in nine rural communities in the municipalities of Vazante and Lagamar, in Minas Gerais. The initiative, developed by Nexa, has the challenge of promoting knowledge about the functioning of the Santa Catarina River basin and the importance of its sustainable use among the population.

114 km of fencing are being built to protect the springs, in addition to the installation of water flow monitoring points. The springs form the Santa Catarina River, the main river in the municipality of Vazante, part of the São Francisco River basin. The project, initiated at the end of last year, aims to achieve the physical restoration of the springs by 2024 and increase the knowledge of the surrounding communities about preservation and restoration.

According to Benane Xavier da Silva, an environmental engineer at Nexa Vazante, the methodology developed by the project encourages interaction and the exchange of experiences between generations. “It is necessary to generate a cultural shift regarding the sustainability of water resources, and our initiative addresses this need. Therefore, we are establishing partnerships with Municipal Departments of Education and Environment, Emater, and community associations, believing in the perpetuation of these actions in the region over the years,” he explains.

The project involves a large number of residents, as well as benefiting numerous rural properties. Students from public and private schools in the region will also be involved, giving them the opportunity to learn about the topic by reproducing the Santa Catarina River basin in scale models and sharing their knowledge on social media.

By 2020, 67 springs will be preserved in collaboration with landowners and the local community, who will undergo a hands-on and educational process on maintaining the watershed and producing water.

“The desired impact of this effort is that the communities residing in the municipalities will begin to defend and protect the water sources. During the project, we hope that the population involved will legitimize and generate a new awareness and attitude towards water sources,” emphasizes the engineer.

Goals

2018/2019 – 5,995m of fencing | 7 springs.

2019/2020 – 42,100m of fencing | 67 springs.

About Nexa

Nexa Resources is one of the five largest zinc mining companies in the world, also producing copper and lead. It has operated for over 60 years in the mining and metallurgy sectors, with operations located in Peru and Brazil and commercial offices in Luxembourg, the United States, and China, supplying its products to all continents of the world. Its employees are focused on building the mining of the future, increasingly sustainable, innovative, and with best practices in safety and respect for people and the environment. Since 2017, its shares have been traded on the New York and Toronto Stock Exchanges, with Votorantim S.A. as its majority shareholder.

For more information, visit: www.nexaresources.com

Source: Montanheza.com.br