Residents of the indigenous community in Joao Camara, Brazil, realized a dream earlier this year. When they turned on the taps at the water points in the community, the gurgling springs that flowed out had no bitter or salty taste, leaving only sweetness.
The drinking water comes from the State Grid Corporation of China Brazilian Brackish Water Desalination Public Welfare Project (State Grid Brazil Brackish Water Desalination Project). Through the purification of groundwater, the project produces 80 tons of pure water per day and sends it to three nearby aboriginal communities through water pipelines for the use of more than 3,000 residents.
The city of Joao Camara is in the state of Rio Grande do Norte in northeastern Brazil. Affected by the semi-arid climate, the local groundwater has a bitter taste due to high salt content and is difficult to drink. Before the completion of the State Grid Brazil brackish water desalination project, the residents of these three indigenous communities faced serious water problems due to their remote location.
On February 14, in Joao Camara, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, residents fetched the clean water which is purified by the public welfare project. [Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Haozhu]
Community leader José Carlos Tavares told Xinhua that residents could only drink well water at first. Although there were water trucks to deliver water to the community later, sanitation conditions could not be guaranteed. In addition to the poor water quality, the aborigines had to go through hardships in obtaining water in the past. Another aboriginal community leader, Jorma Barbosa, recalled that every water delivery day, the whole family had to get up in the early morning, push the trolley to the parking spot of the water delivery truck and wait in line. It took nearly six hours to go back and forth.
In 2017, State Grid Brazil took over Sao Paulo Power and Light Company (CPFL). The wind farms invested and operated by the company are mainly concentrated in the northeastern region of Brazil. The project team comprehensively evaluated the actual water shortage and community cooperation, and finally selected three aboriginal communities in Joao Camara City from the semi-arid area of the Northeast to implement the brackish water desalination project. In December 2021, State Grid Baba Electric Company signed a project cooperation agreement with the government of Rio Grande do Norte State, with a total investment of 9.6 million yuan. Construction started in August 2022, and water was successfully produced on December 31 of the same year.
On February 14, in Joao Camara, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, employees of State Grid Corporation of China's State Grid Corporation of Brazil inspected water purification equipment. [Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Haozhu]
Rio Grande do Norte Governor Fatima Bezera said at the handover ceremony that Brazil-China cooperation has achieved remarkable results. Chinese companies represented by State Grid have brought advanced technologies to Brazil and made important contributions to improving local people's livelihood. Zhu Qingqiao, Chinese Ambassador to Brazil, said that the brackish water desalination public welfare project of State Grid Brazil Electricity Company is the latest achievement in improving the quality of China-Brazil cooperation and benefiting the Brazilian people.
Source: <https://www.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/info/iList.jsp?cat_id=10005&info_id=307677&tm_id=126>
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