Crisis in Sao Paulo - Drought of the Century

Heavy rains during the four and a half days of Carnaval last week offered relief for the first time in months to the southeast of Brazil, but fears of rationing water and electricity for the residents of São Paulo continue. Despite recent rains, precipitation would have to continue for months on average to fill the almost empty water supplies. An energy crisis and energy rationing also loom on the horizon as water levels drop to less than a fifth in the reservoirs for hydropower generation in the center and southeast of Brazil. Some residents say their water has already been cut off for more than half of every day, and the drastic situation is getting worse, igniting protests in the city and surrounding region. Other cities in southeastern Brazil, like Rio, face less gloomy scenarios, but would not be immune to rationing activities. Brazilian consumers are expected to reduce electricity usage or face blackouts over the coming months. At the surface level, the water crisis seems to stem from unfortunate circumstantial situations in Brazil beyond anyone’s control. Low levels of rainfall coupled with a rise in consumption and air-conditioning usage seem to be some of the factors exacerbating the situation. Beyond the surface, however, lurk deeper administrative problems in Brazil that need to be addressed. Government policy is an important part of the story and is at least partially responsible for the situation in São Paulo. Despite early warning signs and full knowledge of the consequences of their inaction, the administration in Brazil did not take any preemptive steps to reduce the risks of a water shortage. The government waited until the rains were already over to start giving the issue due attention, and at that point, it was too late. Environmental degradation also plays a part. Deforestation in the Amazon has contributed to the problem by removing an important source of air humidity, drastically reducing rainfall in Brazil's southeast.

Although the government has recognized that inadequate infrastructure is a central cause of the drought, not much has been done to fix broken water

systems. Experts say that the best course of action would have been to fix leaky old pipes months or years ago. Officials have revealed plans to build new reservoirs, to route water from other parts of the country, and to try and fix parts of broken old systems, but some of those projects could take years to complete. Meanwhile trucks are delivering drinkable water to some areas, but it would be quite unrealistic to assume that this could be a

sustainable solution. The governor of São Paulo is on the verge of announcing drastic measures of providing running water only two days of the week in order to make the dwindling water reserves last as long as possible.

Brazil is home to an eighth of the fresh water on the planet and has the Amazon flowing through its lands, yet Brazil's most populous region is facing the worst drought it has encountered in a century, and São Paulo, the largest and richest city in the country, is running out of water. Impressive growth over the 20th century built up a metropolitan area of more than 20 million residents that a faulty water system can't adequately serve. Uncertainty created by the drought and its impact on employment, public health and quality of life, have darkened the mood of Brazilians at a time when the economy is in trouble and the popularity of President Rousseff is at historic lows. The government cannot provide an adequate response, and the people have taken to the streets as a familiar scene unfolds once again in Brazil.