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Springs are one of the main sources of water supply for the population living in rural areas. Through the application of a questionnaire composed of 16 questions and based on IIAN (Springs Environmental Impact Index), the objective was to capture the environmental perception of producers about ten springs, with each owner evaluating those belonging to his property. The study region is in the rural area of Floriano, district of Barra Mansa, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro. According to the environmental perception of these owners, 50% of the springs fit within the degree of reasonable preservation, 40% were considered to be in good condition and 10% were classified in the degree of preservation considered poor. The type of questionnaire applied can supply, indirectly, the lack of information on water quality and the conservation of springs in that area. Therefore, the analysis of environmental perception allows to understand the man/environment relationship.

Groundwater is an excellent alternative to meet public water supply demands, especially in the face of the water crisis and pollution of surface water bodies. Many municipalities throughout the national territory use water from springs for urban water supply. Barra Mansa, a city located in the southern Fluminense region, is an example of this. The aim of this study was to evaluate the water quality of three springs located in the city of Barra Mansa, in order to verify its water potential. The results obtained showed the water potential of the Municipality, revealing, however, the state of degradation and the risk of contamination of groundwater, imposing the need to develop measures to preserve, prevent and mitigate anthropic impacts on the water sources. In this way, the questions proposed here may contribute to a reflection about the exploration of the sources and the implications inherent to its use.