Social water technologies and mitigation of the effects of water insecurity in the semi-arid northeast

Based on policies for coexistence with drought, social water technologies represented by plate cisterns are one of the main strategies for coexistence with drought in the Northeastern Semiarid. In this context, having as its locus the community of Porto do Carao, in the municipality of Pendencias/RN, this work sought to analyze the contribution of plate cisterns to household water security. Household water insecurity was diagnosed through structured questionnaires with objective questions. The questions were structured according to the dimensions analyzed by the UN (2010) and Jepson (2014). In turn, the cisterns were mapped and identified according to actions to coexist with the semi-arid region. The cisterns come from the "Um milhao de cisternas program" (P1MC)" and "Uma terra duas aguas program (P1+2)", having a complementary or alternative function to the supply system marked by constant intermittences, and lack of potability conditions without quality monitoring or prior treatment. Cisterns have contributed to alleviating water insecurity, however, there is a need to coordinate their implementation with monitoring and maintenance of structures and improvements in the supply system, mainly regarding the safety and availability of water sources.