The Novo Rio Pinheiros program is a sanitation initiative aimed at improving the water quality of this iconic river in the city of São Paulo and the health and living conditions of the population that occupies its basin. The Pinheiros River is 25 km long and collects water from a 271 km² basin in an area where 3.3 million people live.
In order to join forces to promote Sustainable Development Goal - SDG 6 - Drinking Water and Sanitation, the São Paulo State Government, through the Secretariat for Infrastructure and the Environment and under the execution of the São Paulo State Basic Sanitation Company (SABESP), decided to prioritize the implementation of this program. Diagonal, together with Condominium (a Diagonal Group company specializing in sanitation), took part in this work through the DGFD consortium.
The challenge of the New Pinheiros River project
The aim of this project is to guarantee basic sanitation, reduce the sewage discharged into the tributaries of the Pinheiros to improve the quality of its waters and reintegrate it into the life of the city.
The action took place through the execution of a diversified set of sewage works and interventionsimplementation of alternative solutions, in this case the Condominium SystemThe project also includes environmental management, socio-environmental and communication actions to support the execution of the works, community participation and remote monitoring of the streams to control water quality. In this sense, the population's access to basic sanitation and the environmental improvement of the water bodies were promoted, based on the reduction of the organic load from the sewage that was discharged in natura into the stream.
Água Espraiada Action
Of the 25 sub-basins of the streams that flow into the Pinheiros River, nine had already been cleaned up, according to Sabesp. The program therefore targeted the other 16 that had not yet been cleaned up. Diagonal worked in the sub-basin of the Água Espraiada stream, through the DGFD consortium, formed by DP Barros, Gimma and FBS. This sub-basin is made up of eight small tributary streams on the right bank (especially the Pinheirinho and Jabaquara) and nine on the left bank. This is a totally urbanized region, with a very consolidated and diverse occupation pattern, and also a diverse income stratum. Neighborhoods such as part of Itaim Bibi, Campo Belo and Jabaquara fall within this sub-basin, as do 50 favelas, including Levanta Saia and Sonia Ribeiro, located on the banks of Avenida Roberto Marinho, Souza Dantas and Vietnã, in the upper (upstream) portion of the sub-basin.
The initial target set by SABESP was to carry out a set of collection and transportation works (trunk collectors) in 24 months, to increase the number of households (properties) connected to SABESP's sewage system by 44,857, and to treat this sewage at the Barueri ETE.
Currently, with the work completed on time, the Consortium has been monitoring the reduction in BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) on a monthly basis for 12 months. This parameter is the most commonly used to measure the level of water pollution, as it is the amount of oxygen consumed by microorganisms to degrade organic matter - the higher the BOD, the more polluted the stream is. In the Agua Espraiada sub-basin, a reduction target was set for BOD ≤ 50 mg/l. Through efficiency and with the cooperation of the population, we have achieved a BOD of less than 30 mg/l.
But beyond the technical parameters lies the quality of life of vulnerable families. Diagonal has embraced this work because our motto is that "people are our territory", and to talk about basic sanitation we need to go beyond engineering to get closer to the inhabitants and transform their relationship with the environment.
The Diagonal and Condominium methodology
Diagonal, together with the Condominium group company, structured the Action Plan by dividing the territory into 11 micro-basins to make it easier for the teams to work in an integrated manner on the various fronts of service execution: design, construction, operational improvement and social work. Diagonal ensured excellence in the social management of the works and Condominium ensured a successful engineering project.
The condominium methodology, created by Condominium's founder, engineer José Carlos de Melo, combines a technical solution with a social participation component. In it, knowledge of the reality is the basis for planning the intervention, each alley is checked and each resident is consulted. In this way, improvised solutions are identified that bring sewage and rainwater together to separate the two systems: sanitary sewage and rainwater drainage.
Diagonal's technical and social work is based on dialogue and mobilizing the population to ensure the sustainability of the project. In the Água Espraiada Action, this process began with the identification of community leaders who enabled the team to get closer to the community, raising families' awareness and making communication accessible between Sabesp, the DGFD Consortium and the population.
We know that actions with long-lasting results need to include all interested parties. In this sense, the population's adherence to the system was worked on in order to obtain it consciously, explaining to future users the conception of the project and the rules of access (for example, the amount of the sewage tariff), as well as clarifying doubts and taking ownership of their desires in relation to improving the quality of life through communication mechanisms: meetings with small groups of houses and individual assistance, in addition to promoting behavioral change based on socio-environmental actions.
The result? Well-being and a new Pinheiros River for the population
The results of this collective work show us that leading complex projects to improve the quality of life of 450,000 inhabitants is worthwhile. We have generated employment and income for the local population, supported the São Paulo government in implementing a project in pursuit of a sustainable development goal and, most importantly, improved the quality of basic sanitation services.
In the Social Impact Assessment of the Água Espraiada Action, for comparison purposes, we surveyed residents of the Souza Dantas community, which had already received the intervention, and Muzambinho, which was waiting. In this intervention, 84% of the properties in the Souza Dantas area were duly connected to the general sewage system. Thus, in the treated group, the respondents guaranteed that, after the intervention in Souza Dantas, the sewage properly discharged into the network went from 6% to almost 70%, which was then channeled to Sabesp's treatment plant and no longer discharged directly into the stream.
The works have brought well-being, reduced the stench in the surroundings and made homes healthier, and the revitalization process has allowed the population to have living areas for outdoor activities, even leisure activities. In addition, in comparison, the Souza Dantas group reports a reduction in the incidence of disease, and more community engagement with selective collection and other environmentally responsible practices.
The next step is to monitor the Águas Espraiadas Action so that the project is sustainable in the long term, and we also hope that many other states prioritize basic sanitation in their agendas, after all, as the name implies, it is basic.
To find out more about Diagonal's work with the public sector, visit the page about our work and discover our services, history of successful partnerships, clients and project portfolio.
