Environmental Science & Engineering - www.esemag.com - June 2004
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River Tietê Project improving water quality for over 17 million Brazilians
One of the largest environmental
projects in Latin
America, the Tietê Project,
will provide wastewater collection
and treatment to some 17.5
million people who live in the metropolitan
area of São Paulo, Brazil.
The Tietê Project aims at expanding
wastewater collection and treatment in
the 8,000 square kilometre metropolitan
region of São Paulo with a view to
reducing the disposal of pollutants into
rivers and creeks and to improving
water quality in the Tietê river, the
area’s main body of water. ABS is the
major supplier of wastewater pumps
for this project.
Two phases
The program has been divided into
two phases, with the first one in 1992-
1998 already completed. The results
achieved in this first phase were excellent
with collection rates going up
from 70% in 1994 to 79% in 2001.
Treatment rates increased from 24% to
65% over the same period of time. The
stretch of river that is polluted has been
reduced by 120 km and fish can be
found again in locations that were
completely dead before.
A second phase, with the objective
to reduce the pollution by another 40
kilometres, is in progress and scheduled
to be completed by 2005. Works
carried out by SABESP, the water and
sewage authority in São Paulo, during
this phase will bring permanent benefits
to people living in the metropolitan
region. In order to increase levels of
treatment, another 400,000 households
will be connected to the sewerage system,
resulting in wastewater collection
services that will be available to 82%
of all inhabitants in the metropolitan
region of São Paulo.
The cleanness of the river Tietê is of
outmost importance for the State of
São Paulo, but like the Thames river in
England, it will take several years until
this objective will be achieved.
Improved public health
The advantages are manifold.
Approximately 1.2 million people will
benefit directly from wastewater collection
and 75,000 new job positions
will be offered during the execution of
the project. The quality of water in the Tietê River and its tributaries will be constantly monitored,
and sanitary conditions should improve not only for the
17.5 million inhabitants of the region of São Paulo, but
also for those living in towns located on the banks of the
Tietê River in the interior of the State of São Paulo. As far
as public health is concerned, it is expected that costs of
curative medicine will decrease and there will be a reduction
in waterborne diseases and child mortality rates.
Pumps supplied by ABS
ABS’ subsidiary in Brazil, ABS Bombas, is one of the
largest suppliers of wastewater pumps to the end client
SABESP, with deliveries of a large number of AFP and
PIRANHA® pumps for sewage pumping stations and
treatment plants over the last 25 years. ABS was awarded
the contract for 47 pumping stations by the
GEVA/PLANOVA/H.GUEDES consortium due to performance
evaluations of the pumps, both in terms of reliability
and longevity. Other factors were the support provided
by staff and the fact that there were manufacturing facilities
available locally in Brazil.
Large investments
During the first phase, investments amounted to US
$1.1 billion (940 MEUR) of which US $450 million (380
MEUR) were financed by the IDB; U$ 550 million (470
MEUR) were private funds and US $200 million (170
MEUR) came from a loan granted by the Federal Savings
Bank (Caixa Economica).
Investments for the second phase amount to US $400
million (340 MEUR), half of which was funded by SABESP
in partnership with the BNDES (National Development
Bank), and the other half in the form of a credit facility
granted by the IDB (Interamerican Development Bank)
after the results achieved in the first phase were considered
extremely satisfactory. The IDB, therefore, endorsed the
relevance and seriousness of this project, which goes far
beyond a basic sanitation program.
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