Water concerns have changed daily routines in Itapeva, in the state of São Paulo, where residents have been taking precautions for at least a week amid a gastroenteritis outbreak. Sabesp has begun delivering water by tanker to some neighborhoods, including Santa Maria and Bonfiolli.
Tests by the Adolfo Lutz Institute, part of the state health department, detected pathogens in the city’s water. The municipal government says nearly 3,000 people have sought medical attention with symptoms of a viral illness. Sabesp says it is still investigating the possible contamination and conducting further tests.
As authorities assess the water, residents are following safety guidance and setting aside water for drinking and cooking. Bia Fernandes, who lives with her two young children, stores drinking water in plastic bottles. She said her family has limited storage space and sometimes has to buy water; when necessary, they boil it.
Fernandes also described confusion over the instructions issued by the city and Sabesp, saying residents were unsure which guidance to follow. Another resident, Márcia Regina de Almeida, said members of her family had repeatedly become ill and that boiling water had become part of their routine.
The city says it has formally notified Sabesp and started a plan to clean municipal reservoirs. Mayor Adriana Duch Machado said the municipality is monitoring the company’s response and that additional filters had been brought in to improve treatment.
Sabesp said on Saturday, Oct. 31, that it had not detected the microorganisms reported in the state laboratory tests, but that its investigation and new analyses were continuing. The company said it had increased monitoring across the water system, expanded filtration at treatment plants and stepped up water renewal in the city’s pipes.
Sources: G1.