Water crisis leads Sabesp to reduce pressure, causing water shortages in Brazil’s São Paulo

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The water shortage caused by the drought caused the state water company Sabesp to increase by two hours the interval in which it reduces pressure in the pipelines that supply the city of São Paulo its metropolitan region during the night.

Until last month, the reduction in most neighborhoods occurred from 11 PM to 5 AM, and now it has been done from 9 PM to 5 AM . With the reduction, higher regions may be without water during this period. Social networks have registered complaints from users about the lack of water earlier than usual.

A survey carried out by Valor on the company’s website shows that most neighborhoods in the capital have their pressure reduced from 9 PM to 5 AM, as well as large cities in Greater São Paulo, such as Guarulhos, Osasco, and Diadema.

The extension of the period in which taps have less water was confirmed by the Union of Water, Sewage, and Environment Workers of the State of São Paulo. “The maneuvering technicians, who are responsible for the valves, confirmed that the schedule was changed,” says the union’s president, José Antonio Faggian.

Questioned by the report, Sabesp did not answer the question about the extension of the schedule and when the measure was taken. It only informed that “it performs pressure management in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, an internationally recommended practice: when there is less consumption, the pressure in the networks is reduced to avoid losses due to leaks and ruptures.”

The State of São Paulo and other regions in the country are experiencing a severe drought with low rainfall rates, which has caused a sharp drop in the level of water reservoirs.

The so-called integrated system, composed of seven reservoirs, including Cantareira, which serves 21 million people in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, is currently at 39.8% of its capacity, a critical level. Cantareira was at 32.4% of its total volume.

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