São Paulo – Sabesp, the company responsible for water supply and sewage collection and treatment in the state of São Paulo, started, last Friday (24), to provide international training for the control of water loss. Professionals from ten countries should be taught, up to March 15th, about Sabesp’s actions and its daily operations to avoid loss. Some of these practices were developed by the company itself and some were taught by Japanese technicians, through an agreement with Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jaica), the government of Japan’s financing organisation.
The training includes engineers, managers and directors of water supply companies in Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guinea Bissau and St. Thomas and Príncipe. According to the head of the Operation Engineering department at Sabesp, Érika Martins Andrade, the participants will learn, for example, how to test for invisible leaks, using sound. According to her, this always generates interest in foreigners.
Also shown, in other practices, will be techniques for water measurement. Sabesp, for example, researches the difference between the water distributed and used by clients to identify whether there are leaks and losses. In this area, the Japanese taught one more monitoring system, night flow. Through the method, the consumption by residents who are normally sleeping is measured, helping identify leaks. According to Andrade, Sabesp already had its practices and improved them due to cooperation with Japan.
The agreement with Japan lasted three years, from 2007 to 2010. In the period, a Japanese technician was in Brazil transferring the techniques of his country. Others also came for specific purposes. Sabesp also sent 50 professionals to Japan to learn about operations there. As Brazil adapted the measures to the local reality, of a developing nation, it should transfer them to other nations, with similar languages (Portuguese and Spanish), in the scope of South-South cooperation. Cooperation with Jaica and international training include participation of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), under the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
Sabesp has already provided other international training, in the area of sewage treatment. In the sector there has also been exchange with Japan, also through the Jaica. The company has superintendence for New Business and Markets, though which it develops international exchange. Last week, the company signed another contract with Jaica. The Japanese agency should finance the Sabesp program to contain water loss over the next four years, for the value of US$ 440 million.
*Translated by Mark Ament
