By Matheus Zanon Figueira
On World Water Day, one of Rio's main landmarks, Guanabara Bay, was placed at the center of the “Águas Cariocas” discussion group, promoted by the Museum of Tomorrow. Sung in verse and prose, the landscape is a constant sight in the lives of residents of the 15 municipalities in Rio de Janeiro that are part of the Guanabara Bay basin. In addition to its scenic importance, it is also one of the main sources of revenue for the State of Rio, whether through tourism or the movement of vessels that take place on its waters.
However, the Bay's potential is being undermined by the neglect of pollution. According to the NGO Viva Baía, the economic losses for the state of Rio de Janeiro amount to R$50 billion per year. This includes losses in the tourism sector, costs related to diseases caused by exposure to dirty water and the lack of adequate sanitation, lack of urban mobility (for production and workers), excessive burning of fuel in road transport, and diseases related to air pollution.
The lack of adequate sanitation and the irregular disposal of solid waste are the main causes of pollution in Guanabara Bay. Data collected by engineer Eloísa Torres, published in an article by Agência Pública, indicate that 76% of sewage in the state of Rio de Janeiro is dumped untreated. That's around 18 thousand liters of untreated sewage per second.
There are 34 rivers and canals that flow into Guanabara Bay. One of them, the Rio Carioca, which names all those born in the city of Rio de Janeiro, was reborn in 2014, as a result of the mobilization of civil society. The river, which originates in the Tijuca Forest and runs through the neighborhoods of Old Cosme, Orange trees, Catete It is Flemish and flows into the Guanabara Bay, at the time of Flamengo Beach, was one of the causes defended by planetadotcom, as explained by the organization’s director, Silvana Gontijo, one of the guests at the conversation.
The project “Carioca, the river of Rio” was born from a search to recapture students’ attention to the adventure of knowledge. Thus, the concept of education with and through causes emerged. “The preservation, recovery and conscious use of our water resources was one of the themes chosen by the students. But how can we make this issue concrete? Every child today knows that they need to turn off the tap while brushing their teeth – which means using water consciously. But how can we do something to recover and preserve our water sources?”, points out Silvana.
Based on this question and in view of the city's 450th anniversary, the project identified the opportunity to revitalize the river where the city was founded. For several centuries, this river was the main source of drinking water for its residents and for the ships that docked here, and it had a major impact on the way the city is organized today: the Carioca.
The organization planetadotcom mapped the course of the river and mobilized several schools identified in the Carioca River basin. Through research, the students discovered interesting stories about the river, such as etymological versions of the word carioca and the relationship between the river and the greatest engineering work in Latin America in the 18th century, the Lapa aqueduct, used to carry the river's waters to the square next to the Santo Antônio Monastery.
The river, which has been running underground for most of its course since 1905, was abandoned and being used as a garbage dump and sewage disposal site by residents. Through the organization of students, specialists and technicians, a series of revitalization actions were promoted. Irregular dumping and illegal water collection, which were responsible for reducing the river's flow, were identified and resolved, and important historical landmarks such as the Mãe D'Água reservoir, built in the 18th century, were restored. The action had the engagement and dissemination support of Approach, a member of the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS).
“The cost of cleaning the river and collecting all the sewage was equivalent to one year of the treatment plant’s costs. There’s no point in just draining the water. The solution is to clean it from top to bottom. Today, the river is clean up to Largo do Boticário and, by 2021, we hope to have the Rio Carioca completely clean. If all of the river’s water sources were restored, we wouldn’t need to depend on the Guandu river for supply,” Silvana points out.
The consultant for the interactive exhibition “Baías de Todos Nós”, Marcio Santa Rosa, highlighted the importance of developing a sense of belonging to ensure society’s engagement and reinforced the need to make significant investments in improving sanitation, which will consequently influence the decontamination of Guanabara Bay.
“We worked with schools on the Alcântara River, which runs through Niterói and São Gonçalo, to monitor the amount of sewage in the water. This helps students understand the importance of proper sanitation. At this point, it is important to think about initiatives, such as public-private partnerships, to improve the sewage treatment rate,” he explains.
According to estimates by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), to meet the goal of universalizing sanitation by 2033, it is necessary to invest R$21.6 billion annually. With the current investment of R$13.6 billion, the goal will only be reached in 2050. Private investments in sanitation represent the equivalent of 2.2 times the national average. While the government invests R$188.17 per person, the private sector invests R$418.16 per inhabitant. Private sector participation in water and sewage services has contributed to accelerating basic coverage for the population.
Moderator of the debate and content coordinator for the Museum of Tomorrow, journalist Emanuel Alencar also highlighted the impact of the irregular dumping of solid waste. “It is estimated that, in the Metropolitan Region, 90 tons of garbage are thrown into rivers that flow into the bay. It is necessary for individuals, public and private authorities to engage in the recovery of Guanabara Bay.”
