Planned Preventive Works Cut Supply Across Brazilian Cities as Utilities Begin Gradual Restorations

Overview

• Large-scale maintenance programs by Cedae, Sabesp and Compesa in late July reduced or halted water production across Rio de Janeiro, São José dos Campos and Greater Recife and also involved smaller municipal utilities in Mogi das Cruzes, Sorocaba and Salvador.
• Cedae ran the Guandu treatment plant at roughly 50% capacity during a scheduled window, prompting concessionaires to warn that full normalization could take up to 72 hours or longer in higher and distant service zones.
• Sabesp advanced a valve-replacement after tests found an old valve rupture and affected about 190,000 connections in São José dos Campos, with supply returning to roughly 100 neighborhoods and a staged full restoration expected by Thursday.
• Compesa’s planned Tapacurá shutdown from July 22–25 is active to connect new adductors and upgrade the plant and the company has prioritized water trucks for hospitals and other essential services while neighborhoods face reduced or no supply.
• Residents and businesses have reported immediate impacts such as closures, canceled appointments and purchases of bottled water, and utilities stress that the network must refill adductors and reservoirs and stabilize pressure before household taps return to normal.