State lawmaker Mônica Seixas (PSOL) submitted two formal requests to the São Paulo Legislative Assembly on November 9, demanding answers about water contamination in Itapeva, Brazil. The municipality recorded more than 4,300 medical visits for gastroenteritis between September and early November.
Tests by the Adolfo Lutz Institute released on November 4 identified the protozoan Cryptosporidium at four of the ten locations examined in the water supply network. A link between the contamination and all cases of gastroenteritis has not yet been established. The lawmaker is asking when the state government learned of the problem, what measures it took and whether there were failures in water treatment. She is also requesting information about oversight and possible irregularities.
On November 5, the water utility Sabesp announced investments of approximately R$50 million, including five ultrafiltration units, and the temporary suspension of water and sewage charges for 30 days. The lawmaker is requesting information about implementation timelines and compensation for consumers.
