Investor Presentaiton
NATURAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WATER
Natural infrastructure solutions help in the
conservation, restoration and management
of ecosystems often more efficiently and
with better cost/benefit ratios than traditional
approaches using concrete and steel. Forests
are important agents of natural infrastructure:
they help guarantee supply, control erosion
and purify water, and retain sediment. In other
words, improving water quality is among the
most precious services that the conservation
and restoration of native vegetation can offer.
The project "Natural Infrastructure for Water
in Brazil" assessed two of the most important
water supply sources in the country, the
Cantareira System, in São Paulo, and the
Guandu System, in Rio de Janeiro, and is
concluding the assessment of a third water
source, the Jucu System, in Espírito Santo.
The aim of the assessment is to demonstrate the
financial returns on investment in natural
infrastructure to improve the supply and
quality of water, so that public and private
investors understand the importance and
viability of these practices as a complement
to conventional infrastructure.
The two studies show that restoring degraded
pasture in watershed priority areas reduces
the flow of sediments into reservoirs and
consequentially diminishes water turbidity,
facilitating treatment processes. This helps cut
costs for basic sanitation companies, attesting
to the financial return on restoration and
improving the quality of water supplied to cities.
Both in the Cantareira and Guandu systems,
natural infrastructure has proven itself
economically viable and an important auxiliary
strategy to face the water crisis.
In the Guandu System in Rio, savings may be
as much as BRL 156 million in 30 years, with
a return on investment of 13% - an economic
result compatible with an investment in the
water supply sector.
In the case of the Cantareira System, in São
Paulo, the study showed that, over thirty years,
cuts in spending thanks to the investment in
natural infrastructure represents saving of
UQ9 million or, in the language of investors,
a ROI of 28%, compatible with traditional
infrastructure works in the water supply sector.
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In 2018, the World Resources Institute (WRI),
WRI Brasil and partners launched two reports
compiling the results of the analysis: "Natural
Infrastructure for Water in the Cantaneira
System, São Paulo" and "Natural Infrastructure
for Water in the Guandu System, Rio de Janeiro".
With the support of Boticário Foundation,
WRI Brasil also organized a series of debates
in São Paulo about forest restoration and the
supply of water, highlighting the challenges and
opportunities to implement and provide scale
to the natural infrastructure in policies covering
basic sanitation and the management of water
resources in Brazilian cities. In Rio de Janeiro,
the launch event was staged in partnership with
the State Environmental Department (SEA),
30 WRIbrasil.org.br
WRI BRASIL 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
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