Vale informs that has installed today (February 2nd) the first sediment control barrier in the Paraopeba River, close to the area of water withdrawal of the city of Pará de Minas, about 40km from Brumadinho. This water withdrawal system will be protected by three control barriers. The other two barriers are expected to be placed tomorrow. The company highlights that this is a preventive measure to guarantee that the city's water supply is not interrupted.
 
The initiative is part of the plan presented last January 31st to the Public Prosecutor's Office and to environmental agencies. It will be implemented in three different stretches, where different containment and recovery actions will be taken. The water withdrawal of the city of Pará de Minas is in the third stretch, which can receive ultrafine sediments - between Juatuba and the Retiro Baixo power plant. According to the technicians, different actions will be taken depending on the watercourse and the sediment present in the river.
 
See how the sediment control barrier works

The sediment control barrier is 30 meters wide and 2 to 3 meters deep.   The structure works as a webbing, avoiding that solid particles (clay, silt, organic matter,...) that causes water turbidity and changes its transparency are dispersed.
 
To maintain the anti-turbidity curtains in a vertical position, there are metal chains in the lower edge (submerged part), which avoids the river flow to force the curtain to the surface. The flotation element is a cylinder buoy, which can be used to hold back the advance of sediments suspended in water.

Click here to watch the video about the installation of the sediment control barrier