The State of São Paulo, Brazil has faced severe water shortages in the recent past and may be heading towards another water crisis. During this time, the Water Institute has partnered with local stakeholders to help investigate some of the most important aspects of water security in São Paulo, and new and fortified partnerships are driving these initiatives forward.
Aquifer research to inform future water security
During a recent November 5-7 visit to São Paulo, Water Institute executive director Roy Brouwer met with researchers from the University of São Paulo and the State Environment Secretariat to plan upcoming knowledge exchange workshops that will define future research activities. More specifically, interdisciplinary proposals are being developed to not only better understand the hydrogeology of the Guarani Aquifer, but also to define appropriate governance approaches for one of the most important transboundary aquifer systems in the world.
"We are creating one of the most significant partnerships between Canada and Brazil in water resource management in recent years," says Ricardo Hirata, director of the Groundwater Research Center at the University of São Paulo
MOU renewal between Water Institute and University of São Paulo means more research and education partnerships in future
The accelerating pace of new projects occurs under a newly-renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Water Institute, University of Waterloo and the University of São Paulo which serves to cultivate lasting and mutually beneficial research and education partnerships between the two leading universities. Research, teaching and graduate exchanges as well as visiting faculty who will lead lectures, workshops and discussions are on the horizon.
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During his visit, Brouwer co-presented with University of São Paulo colleague professor Ricardo Hirata on the socioeconomics of groundwater contamination at the XX Congresso Brasileiro de Águas Subterrâneas in Campinas, Brazil. Brouwer laid plans for additional research project proposals to be submitted in the coming year. São Paulo representatives plan to visit Waterloo to attend the Novacare conference in May 2019, and a University of São Paulo graduate student will visit the Water Institute in 2019.
Water Institute executive director Roy Brouwer speaks at the XX Congresso Brasileiro de Águas Subterrâneas in Campinas, Brazil.