A boat's tough mission to remove mountains of trash from the Pinheiros River
Considered the main tributary of the Tietê, the Pinheiros River channel has faced historical problems with illegal sewage, high organic load and tons of garbage, for around 25 kilometers that it runs through the city of São Paulo.
In total, around one hundred tons of rubbish are removed every day. The dredging process is carried out by a boat that assists in the entire process, from 'excavating' the deep waste, to even pushing the vessel three times its size. The monthly cost is around R$5 million.
CNN Brasil had first-hand access to the São Paulo Government's new plan, which promises to increase the collection of floating garbage by 20% and increase the number of vessels operating daily along the Pinheiros channel from eight to eleven.
"The structure will be made up of five sets made up of a vessel and an onboard backhoe, responsible for removing waste accumulated in the floating barriers, in addition to six smaller boats", according to a detailed plan from Semil (Secretariat of Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics of the State of SP).
With the aim of treating pollution, the government program is carried out by SP Águas (Water Agency of the State of São Paulo).
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For experts, the entire process is still timid and suboptimal. "Water quality has remained at a very poor quality, always being one of the worst monitoring points in the reports that SOS Mata Atlântica releases annually", warns Gustavo Veronesi, coordinator of the Clean Water cause at the SOS Mata Atlântica Foundation.
Joint actions are necessary, according to Veronesi: "It needs an even greater effort, because the challenge is huge. It really needs much more action, both from the population, but mainly from the State government, Sabesp and also from private companies."
Cleaning process
Throughout the city's unbridled urbanization process in the 20th century, the entire Pinheiros watershed was harmed. Ideally, all water that flows into the canal should be treated first, but irregular and clandestine connections have choked the river for decades.
"Floating waste is mainly composed of trash, aquatic vegetation and materials transported by the current, such as branches, trunks and other debris that remain on the surface of the water. The waste removed from the bottom of the channel corresponds, predominantly, to the sediments accumulated in the bed, such as sand, silt and silt, and may also contain solid waste deposited over time", the SP Águas press office informed CNN Brasil.
After collection, the waste is sent to Essencis, considered the largest landfill in Brazil, located in the municipality of Caieiras (SP).
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Program goals
The actions carried out in the Pinheiros River Canal aim to promote the continuous removal of floating waste and accumulated sediment.
To CNN Brasil, SP Águas explained that the Pinheiros River Canal has a navigation channel maintained by desilting services, with a depth of approximately 1.5 meters along the axis of the bed, allowing the circulation of vessels. The maintenance of these conditions depends on the continuity of cleaning and desilting actions.
In relation to common use for the population, there is no forecast, just a statement of assured investment until 2029, aimed at expanding sanitation and recovering rivers.
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When asked about the issue of clandestine connections that harm water quality, SP Águas explained that the responsibility lies with the concessionaire responsible for sanitation services in the region.
"Improving water quality is the result of a set of integrated actions that involve different public bodies and institutions, each acting within its competences. In the specific case of identifying and regularizing illegal sewage connections, this activity is the responsibility of the concessionaire responsible for sanitation services in the region, currently Sabesp.", says an excerpt from the body's position.
*Under the supervision of Thiago Félix
Source: CNN