By Lisa Flueckiger, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – CEDAE (Companhia Estadual de Águas e Esgotos), Rio state’s water treatment agency, scheduled a general revision of its treatment facility Guandu for this Wednesday, November 19th. The system will shut down for 24 hours and residents are asked to economize water in their building so that the water tanks won’t empty.
The preemptive revision affects the entire system of Guandu including controls of the reservoirs and the water channels and of pipes and pumps throughout the city. During the operation approximately 3,000 men will be at work.
The blockage had been initially planned for Tuesday, but was moved by a day to include the first phase of a new water main to improve water supply in Barra, Recreio and Jacarepaguá. That way, the water supply will not have to be cut again in the middle of summer.
Water will return as soon as the operation is over, but in some remote regions (at the end of the net) and in higher altitudes it might take up to 72 hours for the water to return.
CEDAE provides water tanks and cars for hospitals and other facilities with special needs during the time of the maintenance.
Guandu is the state’s main water treatment facility and able to treat 43,000 liters of water per second. It is the largest of its kind according to the Guinness Book of World Records.