The Stream, September 25: Water Reservoirs Hit Alarming Lows in Sao Paulo

Water Shortages
Water levels in the primary reservoirs that supply Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, have reached just 7.6 percent of capacity—worse than before the city’s utility tapped the “dead” water volume at the bottom of the reservoirs in May, Bloomberg News reported. The city is now turning to the very last level of water in the reservoirs, and can ensure the water supply until March, according to the utility.

Communities near Johannesburg are entering their second week without water after supplies were initially cut due to a power outage that shut off pumps that fill the region’s reservoirs, the Citizen reported. Some of the communities could face water rationing if water levels in key reservoirs are not restored by tomorrow.

Meanwhile, residents in Johannesburg are being warned to stop hoarding water supplies, Bloomberg News reported. The high demand for water is prolonging the shortages, officials say.

Technology
Farmers are increasingly turning to technology to conserve water, and a growing number of companies are creating sensors and reporting systems to help them measure and manage their water usage, the Guardian reported. Technology can help measure parameters such as the amount of water being drawn from a well and the amount of water being lost through leaky pipes or irrigation systems.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek