São Paulo expands water reuse plans as Sabesp privatization funds flow to municipalities

The São Paulo metropolitan area, home to 21 million people, is experiencing severe water stress, with per‑capita availability dropping below 10 % of the UN‑defined minimum. City officials are evaluating indirect potable reuse of treated sewage, aiming for 9.2 % of total consumption to be reclaimed by 2045. The proposal includes routing treated effluent from large plants in Suzano and Barueri back into reservoirs such as Alto Tietê and Cotia, despite cultural resistance to using water originally from sewage.

Following the 2024 privatization of the state water utility Sabesp, the company has transferred R$ 3.6 billion to 220 municipal sanitation funds and invested R$ 15.2 billion in infrastructure in 2025—more than double the previous year's spending. The state government projects total investments of R$ 70 billion by 2029, with the funds earmarked for projects like drainage, housing, and forest restoration. The secretary of Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics, Natália Resende, said the initiative "strengthens the investment capacity of cities and accelerates essential complementary works for improving quality of life."