Brazil Announces Investment to Clean Tiete River

The new plan, launched by the state’s Secretary of Environment, Infrastructure, and Logistics (SEMIL), will include different projects through 2026 and foster public-private partnerships, with financing from the Interamerican Development Bank (IADB).

The billion-dollar investment will focus on four major areas: 

1. Expand the water and wastewater system, and waste collection around the river 
2. Extensive dredging to remove sand, sediments, and debris at the bottom of the river 
3. Improve water quality monitoring 
4. Ecosystem recovery and restoration in surrounding areas. 

The project will also help fund the management of wetlands around the river, educational and sports initiatives, and can result in new recreational uses for the river as well as an additional means of transportation. SEMIL will lead the project alongside Sao Paulo’s Department of Water and Electricity (DAEE) and SABESP (Sao Paulo’s water utility).

The Tiete River is one of the most important rivers in the state of Sao Paulo, beginning east of Sao Paulo, traversing the capital city, and proceeding to the western part of the state. The river crosses 62 municipalities and divides the city of Sao Paulo in half. The state has invested around US$3.4 billion dollars in efforts to clean up the river since 1992, and this new project is aligned with Brazil’s regulatory framework for sanitation, which sets the goal of universalizing water and wastewater access throughout the country by 2033.

The U.S. Commercial Service in Brazil is organizing a webinar with representatives from the state of Sao Paulo that will provide a high-level and in-depth presentation about the Tiete River clean-up project, followed by a pitch session for U.S. suppliers to connect with representatives from Sao Paulo and local industry associations.

Register for River Clean Up Webinar

For more information, please contact Environmental Technologies Specialist Thales Demarchi at Thales.Demarchi@trade.gov.