The Brazilian arm of Dutch-based design and consultancy giant Arcadis has won a place on a contract to help keep 16 million people supplied with water in São Paulo, Brazil, as the country faces a severe water crisis.
The contract, worth $12.8m, involves expanding a water supply and wastewater treatment system in the northeast of São Paulo Metropolitan Region, Arcadis said in a statement yesterday.
The client is the big water company, Sabesp. The scheme covers an area of 5,115 sq km that is home to 16 million people. Arcadis Logos is a 50% stakeholder in the joint venture doing the work.Â
Brazil is in the midst of a water crisis. In October, the governor of the state of São Paulo sought emergency clearance to siphon the remaining water out of the main reservoir serving São Paulo city. The reservoir was 95% empty after nine months of unprecedented drought. Many other cities in the country are also running dry.
Earlier this year Arcadis and a Japanese firm won another contract to help Sabesp cut its water loss rate from 26% to 13% by 2019. This project is financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and Arcadis Logos is 70% shareholder in a joint venture with a Japanese company, CKC.
