Floods in Rio Grande do Sul: Porto Alegre decrees water rationing

Porto Alegre City Hall determined water rationing and restricted the use of the resource in the municipality while the floods that hit the region prevented the service from being regularized. The decree was published in an extra edition of the Official Gazette this Monday (6).

According to the decree, water distributed by the Municipal Department of Water and Sewage (DMAE) must only be used for essential supply and consumption.

The document highlights that activities such as “car washes, washing sidewalks and facades, watering gardens and lawns, beauty salons, beauty clinics, gyms, bathing and grooming animals” should be avoided.

The mayor of Porto Alegre, Sebastião Melo, commented on the situation: “We are experiencing an unprecedented natural disaster in Porto Alegre and Rio Grande, and everyone needs to contribute. The shortage is real and it will take time to return regularly. We are looking for alternatives on different fronts, but the awareness of each citizen is decisive in order not to make the situation worse,” he said.

A CNN contacted the Municipal Department of Water and Sewage (DMAE) for more information about rationing, but did not receive a response until the publication of this note.

Rains in Rio Grande do Sul

The number of deaths due to the heavy rains that have hit Rio Grande do Sul since the beginning of last week has risen to 85. Four deaths are still under investigation.

In total, 134 people are missing and 339 are injured, according to a report released by the state government on Monday night (6).

There are already 153,824 people homeless and 47,676 in shelters, in addition to 385 municipalities affected.

(*Under the supervision of Felipe Andrade)