The Institutional Planning and Management Challenges of Drainage Services in São Paulo (PAP014833)

Código

PAP014833

Autores

MARIA LUIZA MACHADO GRANZIERA, Mônica Ferreira do Amaral Porto, LUIZ FERNANDO ORSINI DE LIMA YAZAKI, Mario Thadeu Leme de Barros

Tema

Flood risk management in mega cities

Resumo

São Paulo city grew in the last century without the proper planning, generating serious conflicts, specially regarding its land occupation. Regions that naturally received floods were incorporated to urban areas and occupied with buildings and road systems, creating several flood zones in the city. Sanitation services, particularly drainage, were not considered by the authorities as a priority, and up to this date the city lacks an integrated urban water plan. Three factors are relevant regarding flood risk: a) extensive soil impermeability and the severe reduction of vegetation; b) occupancy of the floodplains; and c) implementation of flood control actions aiming to solve specific problems, without an integrated plan or a global view of the watershed. Every year the city suffers the effects of floods, which endanger citizens's health, lives and properties, also causing significant damages to the economy. To make matters worse, polluted river waters often invade streets, stores and houses during the floods. As mentioned before, in recent years this situation has been aggravated, especially regarding the occupation of risk areas. Looking for a legal and institutional solution for integrated planning and implementation of drainage measures, according to Law No. 11.445/07, this paper aims to come up with institutional alternatives for urban water management, as well as an institutional arrangement for drainage and management storm water in the city of São Paulo. As a conceptual basis for this proposal, the principle of watershed as the unit for planning and managing water resources was adopted, evidencing the close association between water and drainage. The strategic importance of this arrangement is to deploy a technical-administrative public body, geared specifically for plan and manage drainage, which could improve the environmental quality of the city and revitalize its heavily degraded watersheds. The main challenge of the referred public body is to keep the institutional interaction between the city of São Paulo, neighboring municipalities, the state and local public entities with responsibilities related to all factors relating to drainage. The main purpose of such body is to establish a system of governance in order to improve the quality of life in the city.