Seven weeks before summer, the water crisis in São Paulo state intensifies with low reservoir levels and containment measures in planning. The Cantareira system recorded its lowest September level in ten years, affecting 9 million people in the metropolitan region. Experts warn of the need for swift actions to avert rationing.
As summer approaches, when water consumption rises, the water crisis in São Paulo is far from abating. Low reservoir levels and adopted or planned containment actions create an increasingly uncertain scenario. In the state's interior, cities like Americana and Amparo have declared water emergencies and are seeking alternative sources. The drought also affects hydroelectric plants, such as in the Rio Grande basin, operating at low capacity.
The Cantareira system, supplying 9 million people in the metropolitan region, reached 29.5% of its level in September, the lowest in ten years. Measures like pressure reduction for ten hours daily, from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., already cause water shortages for residents without storage capacity, especially in high or distant neighborhoods from distribution centers.
The government of Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos) claims these restrictions achieved a record water savings. To prevent rotation rationing, the administration plans to extend pressure reductions to up to 16 hours daily in variable bands. Sabesp, the state water company, recorded a peak in system withdrawals, exceeding the eight-year average, per official data. The company attributes this to population growth served and operational adjustments, though technicians suggest higher consumption or distribution losses.
Intense rains over reservoirs, expected this spring, are essential for relief. In the meantime, campaigns for conscious use and balanced pressure reductions aim to minimize disruptions. Long-term, climate change effects require investments in pipe replacements to cut waste, promoting water reuse, protecting springs, integrating basins, and bolder urban planning, such as using treated sewage water.