In 2014 and 2015, the metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil endured a two consecutive seasons of extremely low rainfall and declining water availability more severe than in any period on record. The city of population over 20 million came perilously close to a crisis situation of widespread water shortages.
ISF was engaged by the Government of São Paulo, with support from the Australian Water Partnership, to rapidly assess the responses to date including supply, bill rebates, leakage management and water efficiency, and develop a high-level Roadmap for Urban Water Security for metropolitan São Paulo.
This roadmap includes high-potential and cost-effective long term readiness initiatives, regulatory and institutional developments to enable funding for water efficiency initiatives, a mechanism for planning contingency measures to be triggered as drought progresses, and research/analytical and planning requirements to prepare a detailed action plan.