Pedro Roberto Jacobi prjacobi@usp.

br Program in Environmental Science, PROCAM-USP University of So Paulo

Issues
Water Governance What is at stake?

Transformations of Water Policy in Brazil

Water Governance in Macro - Metropolitan So Paulo and Sustainable

Urban Development
Environmental Stress air pollution, pollution of waterways, the

equation water quantity/water quality

Climate Change Prospects and Water Governance

Main Principles of Policy

Descentralized management - level of river basin; Integration of sectorial policies involved in water management; Involvement of water users and Civil Society in decison making

process;

Water as an economic good.

Process of Participation in Water Governance

National Water Resources Council

Water Resources Councils of the states and the Federal District

Catchments committees 2011 -more than 160 Government agencies with attributes related to water resources management

Water agencies

So Paulo State Water Policy -1991

State divided into 22 administrative catchment units Established criteria for decentralised and participatory management of water resources through watershed committees.

Metropolitan Region of So Paulo Alto Tiet River Basin

Water in MRSP- the context

Alto Tiet watershed, which supplies the Metropolitan Region of So Paulo
Considered as one of the most critical areas in terms of water availability; Supply water demand to almost 20 million inhabitants; 50% of water is transferred from neighboring watersheds; Sharp demographic growth and urbanization has led to severe problems of

water pollution- demographic growth significantly reduced in last decade.

Metropolitan Region of So Paulo Alto Tiet River Basin

The area covered by the Alto Tiete basin is almost coterminous with the Metropolitan Region of Sao Paulo. With a drainage area of 5,985 square kilometers (2.4 percent of the state's territory), the basin encompasses 35 of the 39 municipalities and 99.5 percent of the population of Greater Sao Paulo. Population growth today: 1,2% /year

In 2010 the population is estimated in 19, 7 million.

Metropolitan Region Alto Tiet River Basin

of

So

Paulo

Massive human occupation was accompanied by the large-scale construction of water infrastructure, including dams, pumping stations, canals, tunnels, and inter-basin transfers to and from neighboring basins.

Alto-Tiete basin is served by a complex hydraulic and hydrological system. Despite this extensive water infrastructure, the water availability of the region is still very low (201 m3-haban) and even lower than the semiarid regions of the Brazilian Northeast

Metropolitan Region of So Paulo Alto Tiet River Basin

Three key management issues to be addressed in the Alto Tiete basin:

Water quantity to supply a burgeoning population

Water quality which is deteriorating to a point where water availability for a range of uses is severely affected
Urban flood control and mitigation represents another major challenge in the basin.

Metropolitan Region of So Paulo Alto Tiet River Basin

Important achievements have been made over the past 15 years

Decentralization process - characterized by the creation of the Alto-Tiete committee and its subcommittees Financing from the State Water Resources Fund
Need for: measurable physical results such as the improvement of water quality, rationalization of water use and reduction/control of floods

Water and Land Use Issues

Non reduction of floods and impacts on population indicate the lack

of adequate land use planning and dialogue between water governance authorities and municipalities
Natural causes always prevail in authorities arguments Existing infrastructure has become insufficient to control and mitigate Increase of natural events and strength has become common

Lack of adequate disasters prevention policies

Delay in basic infrastructure to flood insecurity

Solutions Needed
Reduce erosion Control garbage in waterways and brooks More than 5 million m3 of mud, sand and garbage carried to two main

rivers of the region

Challenge to overcome palliative solutions
Remove irregular occupations has a political cost Importance of codes and construction norms

Water Governance and Intersectoral Articulation Challenges

Integration , equipment and mapping to enable quick response Improve systems of alert Inform, educate and warn population on extreme events alert

Eliminate rsik areas needs land use control

Restitute, mantain rivers, urban green areas and hillsides

Advise population how to build to mitigate impacts og heavy rains and

extreme events

Many Thanks!!
Let us Debate!! prjacobi@usp.br