Water for the Future of Brasília

Third workshop of the German-Brazilian Research Consortium IWAS-Água DF held from May 17 - 20, 2010 in the Federal Capital Brasília

In scope of the international workshop more than 150 participants discussed principals, models and technologies for a sustainable water resource management under participation of water suppliers from Argentine, Ecuador and Brazil. The involvement of several regions of Latin America initiated a transregional exchange of ideas. We expect a considerable synergy effect by including other water related problems outside of the region of Brasília.

 Picture 1: Water collection site in St. Maria reservoir. The project IWAS-ÁGUA DF aims in a first phase at the analysis of use and management of water resources in the region of Brasília. This analysis forms the base for assessment and prognosis of effects of Climate Change, land use change, and population growth on water resources and water supply. Finally, we will provide proposals in scope of an IWRM for sustainable management of water resources.

The capital of Brazil, Brasília was founded in 1960. The city with its particular lay-out, the so called “Plano Piloto”, was blueprinted by the urban planner Lúcio Costa and the architect Oscar Niemeyer. The original idea was to build a city for 500,000 inhabitants. Today, the Federal District of Brasilia compromise 29 settlements and municipalities, the population counts currently more than 2.5 million with an increasing trend especially for suburban areas. The water supply of the region is provided predominantly by two major reservoirs which cover around 80 % of the total water demand. The remaining water is provided by smaller reservoirs, stream water and ground water. In the near future, a major part of the increased water demand will be covered by water from Lake Paranoá located in the center of the city of Brasília.

Picture 2: View of Eixo Monumental, Brasília.

 

The predicted effects of Climate Change and population growth point towards major problems in the supply of irrigation and drinking water for the region of Brasília in the future. The regional water supplier CAESB (Companhia de Saneamento Ambiental do Distrito Federal) expects for the near future a water demand that exceeds the water availability and system capacities by far. In addition, expansion of residential areas and cropland as well as intensification of agriculture is a serious threat for the water quality of collected surface waters.

The project IWAS-Água DF takes the urgency of an integrated approach on sustainable water supply into account and therefore, aims at the development of an Integrated Water Resources Management System (IWRM). This system will include factors such as climate, water resources, land use, urban structures, water supply systems, urban drainage systems - including drinking water and waste water treatment plants - , drinking water distribution networks and sustainable management of installations. Only the combination of these aspects will secure the water supply for the region with highest quality standards in the long run.

Picture 3: Riacho Fundo river with water level.

Coordinating German partners of the IWAS-Água DF are the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research and Dresden University of Technology. Coordinating Brazilian Partners are the University of Brasilia and CAESB. Further partners are the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the University of German Federal Armed Forces, Munich, the Brazilian National Institute of Meteorology (INMET), the Brazilian research center for agriculture (EMBRAPA) and NOVACAP (state owned enterprise for urban drainage of Brasília).

There is more information available on the project website:

http://www.iwas-sachsen.ufz.de/index.php?de=18049

Contact

  • Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ<br>Department Groundwater Remediation

    • Prof. Dr. Holger Weiß
    • Permoserstraße 15
    • 04318 Leipzig<br>Germany
    • Email Address: holger.weiss@ufz.de
    • Homepage: http://www.iwas-sachsen.ufz.de/index.php?de=18049
  • Dresden University of Technology<br>Dept. Soil Science and Site Ecology

    • Prof. Dr. Franz Makeschin
    • Pienner Straße 19
    • 01737 Tharandt<br>Germany
    • Email Address: Franz.makeschin@tu-dresden.de
    • Homepage: http://www.iwas-sachsen.ufz.de/index.php?de=18049