OI 153 eng by criativos

# 153 vol XXXVIII March/April 2011 English Edition

Achievements that reflect an entrepreneurial vision of our most essential natural resource

WATER

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# 153 vol XXXVIII March/April 2011 English Edition

Achievements that reflect an entrepreneurial vision of our most essential natural resource

Innovations

Video reports

Blog

> See what is being done to preserve the water quality of the Madeira River > Angola: projects that are helping the country meet the water supply challenge > Find out how Odebrecht Informa’s new editorial and graphic design came into being

WATER

> Access all back issues of Odebrecht Informa since no. 1, and download full issues in PDF > Odebrecht Annual Reports since 2002 > Special publications (Special Issue on Social Programs, 60 years of the Odebrecht Group, 40 Years of the Odebrecht Foundation and 10 Years of Odeprev)

> ETH develops a program to cut down on water use when milling sugarcane

GREEN ETHYLENE Guilherme Guaragna discusses the development of a project that has become a global benchmark

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> Read posts on the

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> Porto Maravilha, a project that will revolutionize docklands in Rio de Janeiro

> Works on gutters and canals in the states of Rio and São Paulo involve logistical challenges

Filho, Fabiana Cabral, José Enrique Barreiro, > Comment on blog entries and participate by sending suggestions to the editors

Karolina Gutiez, Leonardo Maia, Renata Meyer, Rodrigo Vilar, Thereza Martins, Zaccaria Júnior and collaborators.

#153 English Edition

WATER 6

Lessons on positive relations with nature

Angola invests in water supply through projects

A company that is present (and always welcome)

A water supply project in Peru transforms

In the 1980s and 1990s, an irrigation project takes

How technology and creativity are ensuring

The Sabor, Europe’s last untamed river: learn

Gabriel Azevedo discusses a subject that has

in the lagoon region of Maceió, Brazil

in several parts of the country

in the daily lives of 4.5 million people

a desert into fertile land

prosperity to Bahia’s semi-arid hinterland in Brazil

the preservation of the Madeira River

about its history and contribution

fascinated him since childhood and led him to become an expert: water

Cover photo: Vicente Sampaio

NEWS PEOPLE

Aquapolo: advances in water reuse methods

Cetrel and the Camaçari Industrial Complex:

Harvard University Professor John Briscoe

Organization

56 58 60 62

Profile

People

for industry

an essential relationship for sustainability

gives optimistic advice

Odebrecht Foundation TEO Subsea engineering informa

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EDITORIAL

The enduring spirit of renewal

ater is the subject chosen to mark the debut of a new phase for Odebrecht Informa. In this issue, #153, the magazine is presenting its readers with a brand-new editorial and graphic design. The main purpose of this change is to spot-

People in quest

light how the people at Odebrecht deal with issues of particular importance

of solutions.

for the Organization, Brazil and the world, no matter where they may be

People for whom the

located. They always handle these matters on the basis of the principles and concepts of the Odebrecht Entrepreneurial Technology, setting their

glass is never half

own course of action that is always consistent and coherent, thereby con-

empty – that is what

solidating a business culture developed for over 65 years. In the end, it is

you’ll find in the

this culture that we want to showcase and help maintain. One of the main features of this new format is even more generous

following pages

treatment of photos, which are larger and more succinct. Without giving

of Odebrecht Informa,

up its journalistic DNA, which always keeps it on the path of seeking

a publication that is

meaningful, reliable and qualified information, Odebrecht Informa will

renewing itself, but

start making its reports more analytical, turning them into calls for re-

whose main theme

flection. Renewal is the natural course of everything that is done by and for peo-

is always people

ple who understand that development takes place from day to day through

and their infinite

a proactive and constructive spirit – the same spirit that is driving the world

capacity to dream

to discuss its vital relationship with water (whose day is celebrated world-

and achieve

wide on March 22) in a “glass half full” scenario, as Professor John Briscoe, the author of the “argument” section of this issue describes it while providing optimistic advice. People in quest of solutions. People for whom the glass is never half empty – that is what you’ll find in the following pages of Odebrecht Informa, a publication that is renewing itself, but whose main theme is always people and their infinite capacity to dream and achieve.

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6 T

here is a lot of life pulsing around the

projects to generate jobs and income in 37 counties, in-

Mundaú-Manguaba lagoon complex in

volving 481 local primary schools, 230,715 students and

the Brazilian state of Alagoas, the focus

9,502 environmental educators.

of the activities of Braskem’s Lagoa Viva

Nevertheless, the preservation of the Mundaú-

(Living Lagoon) Project. When it was

Manguaba Estuary Complex, one of the most important

created in 2001, the project focused on environmental

of its kind in the country, is still the main focus of the

education at Péricles Silvestre Elementary School and

Lagoa Viva Institute, an NGO created to manage en-

covered the Pontal da Barra community in a district

vironmental projects in the region. Despite the work

on the shores of Mundaú Lagoon near the company’s

done to raise awareness there, the two lagoons are still

Chlor-Alkali Unit. A decade later, in addition to raising

suffering from the environmental degradation caused

environmental awareness, Lagoa Viva is carrying out

by rapid sedimentation, industrial waste disposal, and

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In Alagoas, Brazil, 37 counties benefit from an initiative that – much more than creating jobs and income – generates a symbiotic relationship between people and nature

The waters of Mundaú Lagoon meet the sea: impressive beauty that inspires change

lagoons Life that emanates from

written by Rubeny Goulart photos by Élvio Luiz

sewage from Maceió and surrounding towns and cit-

and part of the São Francisco River. Today, in addition

ies. That process directly and indirectly affects the ap-

to contributing to the Continuing Education of Public

proximately 260,000 people who live near the lagoons,

School System Teachers in Environmental Education,

including 5,000 fishermen.

Lagoa Viva is working to provide the local community

Partnerships with Alagoas Departments of Edu-

with job skills.

cation and the counties in the vicinity of the MundaúManguaba complex have allowed Lagoa Viva to engage

Averaging 224 events per year

in more comprehensive and integrated activities that

Braskem has maintained Lagoa Viva since 2001,

include preserves and conservation areas of the Atlan-

implementing the program through partnerships with

tic Forest and its ecosystems, formed by salt marsh-

schools, universities and counties. Every year, the in-

es, caatinga (thorny brush), mangroves, coral reefs

stitute organizes an average of 224 events, including

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seminars and lectures focused on environmental edu-

lusks typical of the region, such as mussels, clams and

cation, in addition to several courses and workshops on

maçunin (a marine shellfish).

subjects such as beekeeping, hydroponics, handicrafts

The Mundaú-Manguaba Complex is also the setting

and English as a foreign language. “The program’s goal

of the Braskem Ecovela, an event whose main attrac-

is to awaken an awareness in people of environmen-

tions are a contest for raftsmen to remove trash from

tal issues and mobilize them to take specific action,”

the lagoons and a race for sailing canoes. The number

explains Milton Pimentel Pradines Filho, the Braskem

of counties involved in the competition, now in its sev-

officer Responsible for Institutional Relations.

enth edition, increases every year. In 2010, participants

The more than 417 projects being carried out through

came from Maceió, Coqueiro Seco, Marechal Deodoro,

Lagoa Viva in the form of lectures, workshops and field-

Pilar, Santa Luzia do Norte, Barra de São Miguel, Ro-

work take each county’s potential and aptitudes into ac-

teiro, Penedo, Piaçabuçu, and even the Brejo Grande

count. Therefore, while the riverside areas of the Pontal

and Neópolis communities in the neighboring state of

district are encouraged to engage in subsistence fish

Sergipe. Together, they removed over 15 metric tons of

farming and produce lace or “fillet,” as the local craft

trash from the lagoons during the three-day event.

is called, beekeeping projects are being implemented in at least seven rural communities in Teotônio Vilela

Farming methods

county, producing honey from stingless bees native to

The lagoons are not the only places where water

Brazil. In Santana do Mundaú, one of the areas hardest

is a vital resource. Lagoa Viva is carrying out a project

hit by floods in that region, the emphasis is on growing

to grow hydroponic vegetables in schools, community

grafted sweet oranges.

areas and rural settlements in the region, under the

The abundance of water in Maceió, a region encircled

supervision of agricultural technician Robson Araújo,

by the sea and lagoons, is the greatest inspiration for

age 27. Robson joined the program in 2003. In addition

most Lagoa Viva projects. All, in some way, reference

to training teachers and students to develop farming

the lagoons, which, given the beautiful landscapes in

methods for hydroponic organic and vegetable gar-

the region, are popular venues for sightseeing and wa-

dens, as well as growing fruit, vegetables, pulses and

ter sports. Environmental awareness, especially about

medicinal herbs, he is also experimenting with en-

the need to preserve the 27-sq.km Mundaú Lagoon

dangered native plants, such as white sucupira and

and 42-sq.km Manguaba Lagoon, is directly linked to

murici. “Lagoa Viva is a blessing for nature and a tre-

the economic survival of local communities dependent

mendous professional opportunity for many people,”

on fisheries and the sale of fish, crustaceans and mol-

says Robson.

Fisherman with his net and (next page) a child playing in the water: life around the lagoons informa

Lagoa Viva spotlights the link between ecological

Organization subsidiary). The Lagoa Project, as it was

awareness and its professional education projects,

called, specifically targeted the community in the Pon-

since, by definition, all educational activities result in

tal district, which is home to about 4,000 people. “We

interventions in the natural environment. Because of

had to broaden the range of environmental education to

that, everyone who participates in Lagoa Viva projects

include other projects involving the community,” says

must take a minimum of 20 class-hours of the pro-

Industrial Director Álvaro Cezar de Almeida, who took

gram’s lectures and courses. “It’s important to convey

part in efforts to introduce the new orientation for the

the idea that all this economic activity depends on the

program renamed Lagoa Viva.

environment, and vice versa,” explains Lenice Santos

In 2003, the Lagoa Viva Institute was born under the

de Moraes, President of Lagoa Viva. Moreover, there

direction of Lenice Santos de Moraes, who was then

is an ongoing effort to bring the project and academia

the principal of a local school, and her brother, Jorge

closer together. Through an agreement between the

Mário, now deceased. The new management, which is

Federal University at Alagoas (UFAL), Braskem and the

closely linked to environmental activism, has contrib-

Lagoa Viva Institute, about 150 public school teachers

uted numerous suggestions that cover the entire spec-

have already taken courses in Environmental Manage-

trum of the program, including the production of events

ment and Specialization in the Environment.

and professional education workshops focused not only

The combination of professional education and en-

on teachers and students but the entire community. In

vironmental awareness can be perceived in the attitude

2007, prompted by discussions among environmental

of Jamile Talita, 25, a member of Lagoa Viva since 2003,

educators from Lagoa Viva, the institute created the

the year she first took the “fillet” lacemaking workshop.

School/Community Intervention and Integration Proj-

“Our lives, culture and survival are closely linked to the

ect to systematize the application of the concepts of

environment,” she says. By improving the technique

environmental education in county schools. A key mea-

which, according to local tradition, is handed down

sure was the creation of an Environmental Committee

from mother to daughter, she has helped to increase

to coordinate the involvement of the schools, teachers,

her household production, selling about 50 items per

students and the community in environmental activi-

month in local craft shops. “That extra income always

ties. Because more counties in the Mundaú-Manguaba

comes in handy and allows us to take bigger steps for-

Estuary Complex are joining Lagoa Viva every year, the

ward,” says Jamile, who is also studying English, taking

demand for new projects is also on the rise.

a course sponsored by the Lagoa Viva Institute and run

The goal is to ensure that, in the future, every county

by the School of Letters’ British House of Culture and

in the state is included in the project; that students have

the UFAL Extension Department.

a solid environmental education – thereby contributing

Until the late 1990s, professional education was not

to the formation of more environmentally aware citi-

part of the Chlor-Alkali unit’s environmental initiative

zens – and that more businesses come on board to help

(at the time it was controlled by Trikem, an Odebrecht

keep Lagoa Viva going strong.

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10 A

Water Fountains, treatment facilities and distribution systems are examples of projects that are surmounting the water supply challenge in Angola written by Luiz Carlos Ramos

photos by Guilherme Afonso

fter 35 years of independence and

income neighborhoods, which still lack distribution net-

only nine in an actual state of peace,

works, residents carry containers to numerous public

Angola is making significant progress

fountains to fetch clean water – something that does

in improving the quality of life of its

not compare with the times when they needed to dig

people who now number around 17

wells or walk long distances to get water from tanker

million. The country is embarking on a new cycle of

trucks that was often tainted.

development marked by the construction of hydroelec-

José Carlos Carvalho, 40, is doubly proud: the An-

tric projects, roads, sanitation works and housing. The

golan technician has worked at Odebrecht for 11 years

government and the residents of the nation’s two larg-

and lives in a comfortable home in Zango II, in the Vi-

est metropolitan areas – Luanda, with 6 million inhabit-

ana district, in the Luanda metropolitan area, where

ants, and Benguela, 2 million – and the other provinces

the arrival of treated water has improved his and his

are united behind this drive.

family’s lives, including his wife, Guilhermina, and their

Alongside the physical aspect of the economic

six children. “Everything’s easier now,” says José Car-

achievements marked by the entire country’s efforts

los while drinking water at breakfast with Guilhermina

and resources derived from oil exports, there is an-

and their youngest children – Adalberto, 3, Aliony, 6,

other factor. Almost invisible, but an exciting part of

and José Lamy, 9 – before leaving for work. “Around

the new Angola’s image, it is contributing decisively

here, the whole neighborhood was thrilled,” he says.

to improving the public’s quality of life: water. Oil fuels

He is working on projects in Zango III and Zango IV,

hope. And water is already reaching more and more

two other low-income districts where the houses built

people, bringing new life: it goes from the rivers into

by Odebrecht are already finished and equipped with

homes after passing through treatment plants and

plumbing and electricity.

distribution centers. Odebrecht is taking part in wa-

Some 510 km away, Maria do Rosário is experienc-

ter programs for the regions of Luanda and Benguela,

ing the relief of a big achievement. She lives in Catum-

both in the expansion phase, and is carrying on with

bela, in the Benguela and Lobito region, and like other

its contribution of building dozens of projects since it

housewives, fetches water from a public fountain every

arrived in Angola 26 years ago to build the Capanda

day. Carrying her 8-month-old son Camir on her back,

hydroelectric plant.

Maria smiles as she settles a bucket on her head and

More households are benefiting every month: treated water is reaching their faucets and showers. In low-

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takes her leave of her friends. “I’m going to make lunch for my other five children. The water is good now.”

brings

smiles Maria do Rosário and her son Camir: “The water is good now”

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Meeting a challenge Luanda has grown over the past 35 years, explains engineer Pedro Pinheiro, who has been with Odebrecht for 15 years and spent nine of those years in Angola. He is currently the Project Director for the Águas de Luanda water supply project: “The city’s growth was disorganized. During times of political tension, many people came here from other parts of the country to find a safe haven. Luanda had an infrastructure capable of dealing with less than 500,000 inhabitants. Today, the population has reached 6 million. That growth was very fast and has made the challenge of bringing water to the entire population even bigger.” The Government of Angola has found the answer: investments. The Ministry of Water and Power is prioritizing funding to avoid interrupting the projects underway in major cities. One example is the Águas de Luanda Project in the nation’s capital, where Odebrecht is working on the basis of its extensive track record in major infrastructure works. The program is linked to the EPAL, the state-owned company that runs Águas de Luanda. “Building a project like this in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro would be important. But in a country like Angola, it is paramount. It is a challenging situation for Odebrecht, and we are making progress,” says Pedro Pinheiro.

“My job is much

The Southeast Luanda Treatment Plant, which opened in 2000, receives water from the Kwanza River through

smoother and

canals, pipelines and pumps. The water is thoroughly

healthier,” says Márcia

Now, Odebrecht is building the Benfica Distribution Cen-

treated before going on to several distribution centers. ter and other reservoirs, which are part of the expansion

Manoel Antonio,

of water supply services. Pedro Pinheiro explains that

who cooks for a living

in the future: “The Bita system, for example, will provide

and sells funge,

It is a social necessity. Everything will depend on public

a traditional Angolan dish

the project involves building two more treatment plants 9 cu.m/s of water, since the river’s flow is big enough. investment.” There will be no shortage of investments, guarantees Luís Filipe da Silva, the head of the Angola Water Department, which is part of the Ministry of Water and Power. He underscores that: “We will continue expanding the works to obtain and treat water and distribute it to a larger number of people in the Luanda and Benguela regions and in other provinces, on the coast and inland. This is a process that cannot stop.” The Water Secretary confirms the Angolan Government’s con-

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fidence in its capacity to carry out these projects and

is the Project Director for the Population Rehousing

hints at ambitious, but achievable plans: “We have

Program. He explains: “The challenge is enormous.

come a long way. Our goal now is to ensure that no An-

Four thousand housing units were planned for stages III

golan is without water in the future.”

and IV of the Zango project, which are nearing completion. Following the contract extension, approved in 2010

Homes with piped water

by the Angolan Government, we have expanded Zango,

Luanda has a busy downtown area with beautiful

adding the construction of over 3,000 homes and the in-

scenery along the harbor and bay. In some parts of the

frastructure required to make 20,000 homes habitable.

capital, there are urbanized areas with beautiful homes.

Undoubtedly, the houses in Zango, equipped with run-

However, uncontrolled growth caused by the period of

ning water and electricity, will have a huge social im-

armed conflict, the housing deficit and the need to re-

pact and significantly improve Angolans’ quality of life.”

furbish the downtown area gave rise to the demand for

After eight years, a period that includes stages I

the construction of low-income housing.

and II of the project, life in the Zango community has

The Zango Housing Program was designed for the

been transformed. Most of the low-income residents

population living in extremely precarious conditions

are looking forward to these changes, as they still face

without the assurance of minimum living standards

hardships with regard to housing, water and power.

and exposed to hazards such as the constant landslides

Carrying on with the work to resettle populations is

caused by torrential rains in Luanda. The program also

now a priority for the Angolan Government due to the

aims to allow the reconstruction of basic infrastructure

large number of families that still need better housing,

facilities in parts of the inner city and therefore create

sanitation and safety.

the necessary conditions for their refurbishment.

In the Benguela region, engineer Marcus Felipe de

Maurizio Bastianelli, an engineer who has spent 21

Aragão Fernandes is the Project Director for the water

years at Odebrecht and nearly four working in Angola,

supply program covering Benguela, Lobito, Catumbela

Viana residents at their local fountain: making daily life easier

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and Baía Farta. After working in Portugal, Bolivia, Ec-

of the program, new fountains will be built and more

uador and Peru, he has taken on a major challenge in

household connections will be added, making it possible

Angola along with his team: “In this region, since 2003

to extend its benefits to more distant neighborhoods.”

Odebrecht has taken part in urban development, sani-

One of those distant neighborhoods is Alto Niva,

tation and road construction and rehabilitation projects

where Alexandrina Agosto Simão sets off every day to

as well as building the new airport terminal. We are

work at the administrative sector of the Odebrecht con-

also in the third phase of the Águas de Benguela wa-

struction site. An Angolan Odebrecht Member and the

ter supply project. Water brings quality of life from the

mother of six – baby Aracy, Rosi, Inês, Balbino, Jóia and

moment it helps prevent the problems caused by poor

Pedro – she, her children and her husband, Professor

supply. Public health has improved.”

Lourenço Maria Antônio, rejoiced when piped water ar-

Official figures back up Marcus Felipe’s observation.

rived in their home and the entire neighborhood. “Now

In the last two years, the Benguela Provincial Health

the kids are excited at bath time and will have better

Department reported just 226 cases of cholera in Ben-

health prospects thanks to this water,” says Alexandri-

guela and 132 in Lobito, a significant decrease compared

na, noting her husband’s approving smile. A fan of soc-

with 2006, when there were 3,850 cases in Benguela and

cer legend Ronaldo, Laurenço proudly wears the jersey

1,452 in Lobito. The Governor of Benguela, General Ar-

of Brazil’s national squad.

mando da Cruz Neto, reports that by 2012, 95% of the

Engineer Marcus Felipe explains the high quality of

population of the metropolitan area will have access to

the water in Benguela: “What we have here is the most

treated water: “The Águas de Benguela water project

advanced there is in purification plants.” The treatment

benefits about 1.5 million residents in this area, and the

facility is equipped with huge tanks, where water from

third stage of the project will further expand the system

the Catumbela River is decanted to eliminate impuri-

to substantially increase the number of beneficiaries.”

ties such as silt. The system is eco-friendly because it

In a meeting with Marcus Felipe, the governor praised

has a sector in which a portion of the wastewater flows

Odebrecht’s work and observed: “In this third phase

into a channel to go through an additional step that

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leaves it pure. Once separated, the remaining sludge

and I had no running water at home. I know what it’s

can be reused to make useful products like bricks.

like. Now we have water and the residents of Luanda

Controlling water quality

have more hope,” says Bravo. An example of that hope is Denise Correia, who

Electronic engineer Ricardo Dattelkremer reports

had not even been born when Angola became an in-

that the Benguela treatment plant was designed in ac-

dependent nation in 1975, and experienced hardship

cordance with standards developed on previous Ode-

as a child. Denise, 22, lives in the Palanca district with

brecht projects, and has a state-of-the-art water qual-

her sisters Isabel and Lucineide, and is a social worker

ity control laboratory: “The lab plays an important role

on the Águas de Luanda and Special Economic Zone

because it is often necessary to check the outcome of

teams, doing her job on a specially equipped bus that travels around the region to explain to adults and children how important improved water service will be for

The Southeast Luanda Wastewater Treatment Plant, which opened in 2000, receives water from the Kwanza River through canals, pipelines and pumps. The water is thoroughly treated before going to several distribution centers

the Angolan capital. “We still don’t have piped water in my house, but there’s a public fountain nearby, and I store water in a tank so I can use it whenever I need to.” Denise has a talent for communication. She uses it to explain how the water supply project works to local residents and advises them to be very careful to avoid wasting water. “This is a wonderful achievement that will soon benefit the entire population of Luanda. We must value that,” she says. After working on the bus all day, Denise goes to night school at Agostinho Neto University, where she is a first-year Law student. Enthusiasm about these recent achievements is now part of life for other Luanda residents. “The water we are getting now is of excellent quality compared with our previous situation,” says Edna Sebastiana João. “Now that we have water in Zango, we have gained more health and happiness,” rejoices community leader Antonio Domingos, 82. “My job is much smoother and healthier,” says Márcia Manoel Antonio, who makes a living by cooking and selling funge, a tra-

the treatment of river water at the plant and recommend the necessary measures.”

ditional Angolan dish. When he sees the response the works are getting,

As in Benguela, Odebrecht work teams in Luanda

engineer Pedro Pinheiro smiles and says: “Being part

are made up almost exclusively of Angolans who,

of a project like this, which has a social role, inspires

alongside the Brazilians, are directly contributing to the

us every day, because we can see how happy people

projects’ success. This is the case with Domingos Álva-

are with the water.” In his turn, engineer Maurizio Bas-

res Fonseca Pereira Bravo, better known as Bravo at

tianelli points out: “Water and shelter are two achieve-

the Luanda jobsites. A 14-year Member of Odebrecht

ments that are becoming increasingly accessible to

Angola, Bravo is an occupational safety technician. He

people who once had to struggle and wait for them to

says that thanks to the precautions taken at the com-

arrive.” Engineer Marcus Felipe, a champion of educa-

pany, there have been zero accidents on the water sup-

tion and health as basic civic rights, concludes: “Water

ply system expansion project. He is also an enthusiastic

means health, and education helps people conserve

advocate of the need for the benefits of water to reach

that water. What we are doing here is not just a job. It

more people. “For a long time, my wife and six children

is the job.”

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16 Personal

relationship 16

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larmist predictions of a world without water, environmental fads or a simple opportunity to break into a sector with tremendous potential were not among the factors that led to the Odebrecht Organization’s creation in 2007 of a

company that invests in environmental assets and services. Foz do Brasil arose from the belief that huge investment gaps and the need for efficient water supply systems presented an opportunity to contribute to the conservation of water and the environment, serving clients through modern, adequate infrastructure facilities and providing the public with high-quality services, thereby generating returns for shareholders. This vision, along with the possibility of growing Foz do Brasil Foz do Brasil Member at the company’s Limeira facility: high approval ratings for services

by making the most of Odebrecht’s geopolitical base and operational synergies with Cetrel, Braskem, Quattor and the Organization’s Engineering & Construction companies, set the direction for Foz do Brasil’s Action Plan and growth during its first three years of operations. In 2009, expansion plans for Foz do Brasil were made feasible by a partnership with the FI-FGTS (Infrastructure Investment Fund), which holds a 26.53% stake in the company. Through this type of investment, the aim is to improve the yield of Brazilian workers’ resources invested in the Guarantee Fund for Length of Service. This partnership between Odebrecht and the FI-FGTS therefore converges with a long-term vision of investment. Worldwide, there are several areas suffering from water-supply imbalance – high population density and few available water sources – while others have a large supply of water and low population density. The challenge is to treat, transport and optimize water within a context of balance. “We don’t envisage catastrophic prospects of chaos and water shortages in the world. Instead, we see water as a resource that really needs to be stewarded better. And with every passing day, Foz do Brasil is increasingly prepared to meet that challenge,” notes Foz’s Entrepreneurial Leader (CEO), Fernando Santos-Reis.

written by Milton Gerson photos by Luciano andrade

The number of private-sector companies active in this industry is still comparatively small in Brazil, given the challenges the nation faces. According to the Federal Government, it would take

The water supply and sanitation company Foz do Brasil’s services directly benefit 4.5 million people

over BRL 200 billion to provide every Brazilian household with water supply and sewage collection and treatment services. However, the greatest contribution Foz do Brasil can make, as one of the leaders in this industry, is investing in and operating efficient systems, influencing the industry and the country by example. In 2011, the company will produce 195 million liters of clean drinking water per day, treat and reuse 963 million liters per day of industrial water, and collect and treat 345 million liters per day of household and industrial sewage. Through sewage collection and

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treatment alone, Foz do Brasil ensures that 110 metric

wastewater treatment; utilizing reused water obtained

tons of organic matter daily are no longer discharged

from treated sewage for industrial purposes, and the

into rivers, lakes and beaches.

subsequent final and proper disposal of wastewater in river basins, waterways and oceans.

Knowledge and synergy

In the industrial sector, the prevailing principle is also

The Southern Hemisphere regions that are most

water conservation. Foz has the experience required to

lacking in water investments and still developing their

operate at all stages, such as utilizing reused water for

infrastructure are places where Odebrecht is already

cooling machinery and other purposes. “Through differ-

present: Latin America and Africa.

ent contractual arrangements and business features,

Today, Foz is active at all stages of the water cycle.

as well as varied technologies, we want to be at the

The company has assets and businesses that deal

forefront of everything that water resource manage-

with water collection, storage and distribution; billing;

ment represents,” says Santos-Reis.

Numbers for Foz do Brasil

Investments Since its inception, Foz has invested over BRL 4 billion

• services benefit 4.5 million people

in its backlog. Based on its plans for the three-year pe-

• directly employs 1,746 members

riod between 2011 and 2013, the company will invest an-

• 19 cities serviced in 6 states

other BRL 8 billion. According to Ticiana Marianetti, the

• Major private-sector clients: Petrobras,

company’s officer Responsible for Finance, the planned

Braskem, Thyssen, Transpetro, Dow,

investment for 2011 totals BRL 800 million. “These are

Dupont, Rhodia, BattreBahia, Shell and Klabin.

long-term investments, and the average payback (return on investment) period is 15 years,” she explains.

One of Foz’s mobile units: informing the community

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Foz do Brasil has a backlog of projects with an av-

“When we attain our standard of efficiency, those

erage duration of 24 years. In 2010, the company’s net

same 500 liters will reach Brazilian homes after collect-

revenue reached BRL 804 million, more than double

ing just 600 liters. That will save 400 liters per house-

compared with the previous year. According to Tici-

hold every day, so that resource is no longer removed

ana, Foz expects a turnover of BRL 1.3 billion in 2011.

from nature and more of it is available to serve more

About 60% of that total is based on operations in the

people,” stresses Medeiros.

Water segment, 30% on Industrial Plants (outsourcing

Renato Medeiros explains that the third pillar of

utility plants for industries) and 10% in Environmental

sustainability, added value, has a broader meaning.

Services.

It refers to the value added to society through water

According to Fernando Reis, the main challenge

conservation (for public consumption and productive

the company faces is not raising funds, since those

activities) and added value for the company’s share-

resources are widely available in the financial market.

holders, so it can continually reinvest its results in

“The challenge lies in our ability to groom and integrate

more projects.

new entrepreneur-partners into the company who can

Medeiros also points out the importance of combin-

service the communities on the basis of the principles

ing the benefits of sustainability with the client’s satis-

of TEO (the Odebrecht Entrepreneurial Technology),” he

faction and excellent service, whether the client is the

says. In 2008, when the company began its activities,

concession grantor or the public. “The quality of care

it had eight entrepreneur-partners. By 2010, it had 30.

our utilities provide through toll-free numbers and local

“Over the course of last year, we had to bring in, groom

customer service rounds out our operational efficiency

and integrate 10 entrepreneurs with a base of 20. This

indicators.”

year, we have set ourselves the challenge of integrating and grooming 10 more,” he adds.

Sustainability While society and the corporate world exhaustively

According to Fernando Reis, Foz do Brasil is operating in the context of optimizing and increasing the duration of a finite resource. “What is now a relevant public debate has always been part of life for our programs and businesses.”

discuss the issue of sustainability, Foz do Brasil, as a company whose business is water resource man-

Technological innovations

agement, views that subject from a more favorable

The growing expertise of Foz’s teams qualifies the

position than companies whose activities negatively

company to work with technological innovations such

impact the environment. This differentiator allows Foz

as water production for industrial purposes through the

to have a bolder concept in its Sustainability Policy,

reuse of domestic sewage and desalinated seawater.

which is based on three pillars: universal access, ef-

According to Renato Medeiros, desalination is still ex-

ficiency and added value.

pensive and not widely used because it requires major

“When we are serving 100% of a population by pro-

investments and involves complex operations, but in the

viding clean drinking water and treated sewage, we

future it could present a solution to supplying drinking

will be fulfilling our commitment to providing universal

water in areas that lack fresh water sources.

services that are directly related to public health and

According to Fernando Reis, in a country like Brazil,

quality of life,” says Renato Medeiros, Responsible for

with more than 5,500 counties, the private sector can do

Engineering.

a great deal to supplement the work of the public sec-

Efficiency, he explains, is a sore point in the opera-

tor. And the needs of the segment in which Foz is active

tions of water supply and sewer systems in Brazil today.

effectively require the natural process of surmounting

Average consumption for a household of three to four

challenges that has always gone on within the Odebre-

people in Brazil is currently 500 liters per day. In this

cht Organization.

country, for that amount of water to reach the point of

“That is why we are continually striving to find new

delivery, 1,000 liters must be removed from the rivers

technologies and pursuing creative, innovative solutions

– in other words, there is a 50% loss of water from the

that get better results for the communities we serve to-

moment it is collected to the time of final consumption.

day and those we will serve in the future,” he adds.

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From the Andes written by Renata Meyer photos by Dario de Freitas

A water supply project will realize the dream â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for many Peruvians, the miracle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of transforming a desert into fertile land

This dam is part of the project: storing water for use during the driest seasons

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to the

“O

desert

lmos may be the most competitive

Government began to be fulfilled in that decade, but

area in Peru for pursuing excel-

was interrupted several times because of financial

lence in farming. That might seem

shortages and technical limitations.

like an overstatement, but it is one

No wonder. The challenge of bringing irrigation

of the few places on the planet

to Lambayeque involves building a 20-km, 5.3-m di-

where you can literally grow anything,” observes

ameter tunnel through the unstable geology of the

agronomist Fernando Cillóniz. Located near the An-

Andes to convey more than 400 million cubic meters

des Mountains, more precisely in the Lambayeque

of water per year to the other side.

region, 900 km from Lima, the soil there is fertile,

In addition to the transposition of the Huan-

the sun shines all year round, and the low relative

cabamba River, the Olmos Project, as it is known,

humidity helps keep pests away.

involves irrigating a 43,500-ha area and building two

There is a consensus among local peasant communities, agribusiness entrepreneurs and Peruvian

hydroelectric plants to generate power for the irrigated land.

authorities that, when it comes to food production,

In 2004, the Regional Government of Lambayeque

Olmos has all the resources it needs to become the

issued calls for tenders under the PPP (public-pri-

main force driving development in one of the most

vate partnership) system for the construction and

deprived parts of Peru. Almost all, in fact. The only

operation of water supply and energy generation

thing it needs is water. Despite the favorable condi-

systems. Odebrecht Peru won the contract for the

tions for farming, the Olmos Valley is located in a des-

first component and is responsible for the entire in-

ert region where rainfall is never more than 215 mm

vestment required to complete the projects.

per year on average. The nearest river, the Huan-

The transposition part alone will require total

cabamba, collides with the geography of the Andes,

investments exceeding USD 300 million and mainly

which prevent it from reaching the Atlantic on the

includes the construction of the Trans-Andes Tun-

other side of the mountain range.

nel and the Limón Dam, which has already been

Faced with this massive irony of nature, over the

completed, and can store up to 44 million cu.m of

years Olmos was limited to subsistence farming

water for use during peak dry seasons. The com-

until a bold water diversion project, planned in the

pany responsible for this stage of the project is the

1920s during the administration of President Au-

Trasvase Olmos concessionaire, the Odebrecht sub-

gusto Bernardino Leguía, brought fresh prospects

sidiary that will operate and maintain the facilities

for the region. A long-held dream for the Peruvian

for a 20-year period.

informa informa

Olmos Project facilities (on this and the following page): tools for creating an agribusiness hub

One of the world’s most complex projects

promises to boost the Olmos Valley’s economy. Through a private concession agreement signed with the Re-

The construction of the tunnel is one of the most

gional Government of Lambayeque, H2Olmos, a util-

complex engineering projects underway in the world

ity company owned by Odebrecht Participações e

today, given its depth (as much as 2,000 m below the

Investimentos (Holdings and Investments), will be

surface of the mountain) and the geological charac-

responsible for the engineering, financing, construc-

teristics of the Andes. “This is a geologically young

tion, operations and maintenance of infrastructure to

structure that is still in motion due to tectonic shocks,

distribute the water that flows in from the other side

which makes the rock highly unstable,” explains Engi-

of the Andes.

neering Manager Paulo Affonso Tassi.

“The Olmos Irrigation Project is the result of our

The project is a challenge for the 200 members

effort to make businesses viable through innovative

who work in shifts on the difficult task of excava-

solutions such as the conversion of desert land into

tion. Since the start of construction, there have been

sources of food production,” says Project Director

more than 12,000 cracks reported inside the moun-

Giovanni Palacios. In 2008, the concession company

tain range resulting from the release of energy from

submitted a proposal for an irrigation area to the

drilled rock. “Our challenge is to understand the

Regional Government of Lambayeque. It was ap-

dynamics of the rock and work in a process of con-

proved in 2010 after a process of adjustments and

tinuous improvement and technological innovation

adaptations.

to overcome obstacles and ensure the safety of our

In addition to installing 50 km of pipelines to sup-

members,” says Tassi. All but 2.3 km of the 20-km

ply pressurized water, the works include the con-

tunnel have been excavated. According to the engi-

struction of canals, reservoirs, a tunnel, grit cham-

neer, the tunnel will be completed by early 2012.

bers, access roads and power lines. The concession

This stage, the transposition of the Huancabamba River, is the basis for the irrigation project, which

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period is 20 years, including construction, and the overall investment will total USD 250 million.

Of the 43,500-hectare irrigated area, 38,000 ha

Marsano foresees that in the medium and long

will be sold at public auction. The land, currently

term, Lambayeque will become an agribusiness hub

owned by the Regional Government of Lambayeque,

by attracting new businesses and a massive flow of

is called Tierras Nuevas (New Land), and will be di-

migrants, particularly in the direction of Olmos.

vided into 51 plots ranging from 250 ha to 1,000 ha.

“At a modest estimate, the irrigation project will be

The minimum price stipulated per hectare is USD

responsible for creating 40,000 job opportunities, but

4,250, which includes the deed to the property and

there is room for many more. Some question whether

water rights. Expectations are that these areas will

there will be enough professionals in the region to

be used by agribusinesses dedicated to producing a

meet the needs of a project of this magnitude,” he

range of high-quality crops with excellent yields that

says. According to Marsano, the Peruvian economy is

are highly competitive in the international market.

experiencing a boom following the removal of trade

The remaining 5,500 ha belong to the peasant

barriers, and the country’s strategic location allows

communities of Valle Viejo. Thanks to irrigation, the

easy access to markets in Asia and the West Coast of

approximately 2,000 residents of that village will be

the USA. Both are factors conducive to the project’s

able to make farming an important source of em-

success.

ployment and income. “This project will give a major

Furthermore, according to Juan Marsano, the Ol-

boost to the quality of life of Valle Viejo’s residents.

mos Project is a response to an issue that has been

Without water, we were practically unable to pro-

concerning governments and institutions around

duce,” says community leader Gregorio Morales. In

the world: food supply. “There are several good rea-

both cases, the concessionaire will charge USD 0.07

sons why we believe that Olmos has a tremendous

(seven cents) for each cubic meter of water used.

future ahead. The absence of state government investments in the food industry over the decades, the

Agribusiness hub

steady increase in prices, climate change and water

The Chief Investment Officer for the Trasvase

scarcity around the world are just some of them,”

Olmos concessionaire and H2Olmos, Juan Andrés

he argues.

informa

memory

Recalling JĂşlio CĂŠsar Soares Beg Figueiredo

written by photos by

Built in the 1980s and 90s, the Formoso Irrigation Project brings prosperity to Bom Jesus da Lapa, Bahia, in northeastern Brazil

informa

the

future

Denivaldo and his wife, Ildenice: he helped build Formoso as a tractor operator, and later became a farmer

ocated on the banks of the São Francisco River in western Bahia, Brazil, Bom Jesus da Lapa is famous for being the destination of more than a million Catholic pilgrims per year, who go to the Church of Bom Jesus da Lapa, built inside the Cave of Good Jesus.

Gradually, the city is also becoming known for something that had seemed impossible until a few years back: becoming a major banana production hub. Thanks to the Formoso Irrigation Project, which Odebrecht built in that region between 1988 and 1999, Bom Jesus da Lapa is doing just that. Denivaldo Antonio de Brito has played a part in this story since its inception in 1988. Besides being a farmer and a staff member of the Formoso Irrigation District (DIF) – an association of local producers – Denivaldo was also a tractor operator on the project when Formoso was under construction. “I worked on a farm before I joined Odebrecht in 1988,” he recalls. “Once the project was completed, the company invited me go to work in Angola. But Codevasf offered me a 4-hectare plot of land and an opportunity to work in the district, and I took it,” he says. Denivaldo is one of the 910 small farmers on the project, which also includes 225 farmers with larger plots, known as business producers.

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More than 1,100 irrigated plots Comprised of two sectors, Formoso A and Formoso H, the project was fully completed in 1999. In all, it contains 1,165 plots covering 12,000 ha of irrigated land. Two pumping plants and 29 pressurization stations make sure the water reaches the fields. It is conveyed to the plots by an 82.5-km network of irrigation canals and a 207-km sprinkler system. André Rabello, now the Odebrecht CEO in Panama and the former Project Director of Formoso, says the irrigation project has introduced hitherto unknown farming and business methods in the Bom Jesus da Lapa region. “Formoso has given a tremendous boost to the local and regional economies thanks to these methods and the introduction of an entrepreneurial culture in the agri-

Formoso has introduced hitherto unknown farming and business methods in the Bom Jesus da Lapa region

cultural supply chain.” André also stresses the region’s development through the creation of work opportunities after the contract was delivered. Formoso currently generates 7,000 direct and 14,000 indirect work opportunities and exports 250 metric tons of produce per day.

Becoming self-sustaining The client for the project was the Companhia de Desenvolvimento dos Vales do São Francisco e do

Rita de Cássia: “Formoso gave me a chance to make a living from what I love.” Opposite, farmers working on one of the project’s plots: introducing new crops Sligni nobit alique nist, expediore modicim agnitatistii nobit aliquia

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Parnaíba (Codevasf), a state-owned company run by

gion’s main crop by far, followed at a distance by papa-

the Federal Ministry of National Integration. “Our role

yas, watermelon and cocoa. But the project’s benefi-

now is to support the DIF in the operation and main-

ciaries do not just make a living from farming.

tenance of infrastructure for common use within the

Rita de Cássia Fontes Teixeira left behind a job

perimeter of the project,” says Antonio Carlos Mon-

in livestock management to become the President

teiro de Andrade, Codevasf’s Regional Manager for

of the Association of Strong Women, which makes

Irrigation Projects. “Ideally, the project will become

handicrafts from banana fiber. “I’ve always had a

self-sustaining, and we’re heading in that direction.”

passion for crafts, but working on farms took all my

For that to happen, the DIF comes into play. Be-

time. Formoso gave me a chance to make a living

sides taking care of the water supply and acting as

from what I love,” she says. The association has the

a channel of communication between the farmers

backing of the Bahia branch of the Brazilian Support

and Codevasf, it provides support for associations of

Service for Micro and Small Businesses (Sebrae)

producers that invest in technologies to increase the

and the Amanhã (Tomorrow) Project, organized by

number of crops grown in Formoso.

Codevasf to establish a permanent settlement in

“We are currently working on planting a new type

Formoso.

of crop on some plots. We recently built a nursery to

Most of the handicraft association’s output is sold lo-

start experimenting with growing limes, and it’s go-

cally. “We participate in fairs, usually the ones Codevasf

ing well,” says Antonio Marcio Rodrigues, Chairman of

recommends, and we’re partnering with a furniture

the Board of the DIF. The initiative has drawn attention

store in Bom Jesus da Lapa,” explains Rita. She plans

from Embrapa, the Brazilian state-owned company

to take the association much further. A computer

that promotes agricultural research, whose represen-

bought with money earned from handicrafts just needs

tatives recently paid a visit to the project to help the

to be linked to the Internet so they can showcase the

producers.

project around the world. Asked if she misses her life

At first, Formoso was a grain-exporting hub. Since the mid-90s, however, bananas have become the re-

as a livestock manager, Rita smiles: “Not at all. I am happier now, and life is much better.”

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All of life flows

on the

28 28

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written by Cláudio Lovato Filho photos by Ricardo de Sagebin

Find out about the range of projects aimed at preserving the Madeira River during construction of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant

madeira T

he main character in this story is a river. Its name is the Madeira (“wood” in Portuguese). An Amazon tributary, its waters are fulfilling the dream that a powerful new development vector will emerge in the Brazilian state of

Rondônia and the entire country: the Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant, which will start producing power by December 2011. Bordered by streams and born in the Andes mountains

and the Parecis highlands in Mato Grosso, Brazil, this river is also the setting of unprecedented environmental projects aimed at its preservation. Working in the Amazon rain forest, teams from the Santo Antônio Construction Joint Venture, formed by the Santo Antônio Civil Consortium (CSAC) – whose partners are Odebrecht and Andrade Gutierrez – and Odebrecht Engineering & Construction (responsible for electromechanical assembly), are tasked with building a gigantic plant equipped with 44 turbines while maintaining

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the river water’s quality. The work done to overcome this challenge of preservation, experienced in the dayto-day construction of the project, is making Santo Antônio a benchmark for future hydroelectric projects in Brazil and worldwide. Begun in September 2008, the plant’s construction was the subject of one of the most comprehensive and advanced environmental impact assessments (EIAs) ever carried out for the implementation of a hydroelectric project, which has made it a role model in Brazil. The research involved experts and scholars of the Amazon region, who devoted themselves exclusively to this project. The results provided a tremendous advance in knowl-

Water quality monitoring is done continuously in real time at three stations

edge about the environment of the Madeira River Basin and guidelines for its preservation. The use of bulb turbines is one example. This type of turbine, which can work with high flows and small falls, allows the construction of low dams and, consequently, smaller

upstream and the other two downstream of where the

flooded areas (in Santo Antônio, they will be virtually

dam is being built, known as the Santo Antônio Falls.

nonexistent), resulting in the smallest possible envi-

Implemented in partnership with Ecology Brasil,

ronmental impacts resulting from the venture’s execu-

the monitoring system is composed of sensors that

tion. The natural characteristics of the Madeira, a river

provide data on the following parameters via satel-

with a large water volume most of the year, made it

lite: water temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen,

possible to use these turbines.

oxygen saturation, pH (hydrogen-ionic potential), ORP

Due to its size, importance and location, a project

(oxidation reduction potential), dissolved solids and

like Santo Antônio requires a sense of urgency from

turbidity. In addition to real-time monitoring, quarterly

the builders that leads to the constant pursuit and

samples are collected for laboratory analyses of 121

identification of new and better solutions. When it

physical, physicochemical, chemical and biological

comes to the environment, in the case of Santo An-

variables.

tônio, urgency – no matter how good the results have been – is a trademark.

The data is sent to a mobile floating lab that keeps track of the performance of all the jobs being done on

“Before breaking ground, back during the plan-

the left and right banks that might affect water quality.

ning stage, we identified all the processes that would

This was one of environmental preservation initiatives

be carried out during the plant’s construction, as well

that weighed decisively in obtaining ISO 14000 certifi-

as their environmental impacts,” says the CSAC’s En-

cation for the project in September 2010.

vironment Business Manager Nelson da Costa Alves,

“The Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant is being built

who has been with Odebrecht for 11 years. “As for

without affecting water quality on the Madeira River,”

water, we carry out an integrated monitoring system

says José Bonifácio Pinto Júnior, CEO of Odebrecht

here. We provide support and follow up on all the work

Energia. He joined the project in 2001, when the first

fronts and their relations with water resources on both

feasibility studies were carried out for harnessing the

sides of the river.”

Madeira’s hydropower potential. “We’ve always known it would be this way,” he adds.

Monitoring water quality

Bonifácio’s words are backed by the argument of

One of the highlights of the preservation programs

Paul Varella, Director of the National Water Agency

for the Madeira River is water-quality monitoring in real

(ANA). “In the second half of 2010, I accompanied the

time, carried out continuously at three stations, one

then-Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Environ-

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On this page, the floating lab and one of the water quality monitoring stations Opposite, a member of Ecology Brasil with one of the probes installed at the stations

ment, José Machado, on a visit to the Santo Antônio

has been described in a paper titled “Eco-Friendly

construction site. I had the impression that I was see-

Closed-Loop WTP: Treatment with Organic Reagents

ing a project being built at a fast pace, not only using

and Reuse of Water from Sludge,” the winner of the

the very latest in technology but putting the concept of

Odebrecht Organization’s 2010 Highlight Award in the

sustainability into practice.” Varella adds: “The Ama-

Environment category.

zon has vast hydroelectric potential, but it is also a vi-

Written by Anelisa Cantieri, a member of Nelson

tal ecosystem that needs to be developed in a rational

Alves’s team, the paper presents an innovative solu-

and sustainable way. I believe Santo Antônio is a global

tion: using a low molecular weight cationic polyelec-

benchmark that shows it is possible to preserve and

trolyte produced from tannin extracted from the bark

develop at the same time, with a sense of social and

of black wattle trees instead of aluminum sulfate. It is

environmental responsibility.”

marketed as Veta Orgânica. Used in most water treatment facilities in Brazil,

Organic reagent

aluminum sulfate is a chemical reagent that, when

There are currently about 14,000 people working on

discarded in the environment, is hard to degrade be-

the Santo Antônio project – the population of a city. At

cause it is a heavy metal, presenting a threat to plant

the construction site, 100% of the sewage is processed

and animal life.

at two treatment plants (STPs), modular structures installed on both banks of the river.

The decision to treat water without producing waste that could harm the environment and reuse wastewa-

Water for human and industrial use is purified at

ter led to the introduction of the organic reagent based

five treatment plants (WTPs) – three for drinking water

on tannin. The effluent (sludge) produced by washing

and two for water used for industrial processes. Ten

filters and clarifiers is recycled in treated industrial

counties in Rondônia, including the state capital, Porto

water storage tanks after passing through a system

Velho, are adopting the model for water and wastewa-

of landforms and porous pockets that trap sludge and

ter treatment used at the Santo Antônio jobsite. “When

release clean water. This cuts down on the need to use

the company’s programs ‘leave’ the perimeter of the

natural resources, especially water. Because an or-

jobsite and generate a very positive interface with the

ganic reagent is used, the sludge can be turned into

community, it is very gratifying,” says Nelson Alves.

compost for the reforestation of the construction site.

The process of designing, building and operating

The five WTPs at the Santo Antônio jobsite all use

water treatment plants at the Santo Antônio jobsite

this system. They can treat up to 560 cubic meters

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of water per hour, including 400 cu.m/h of industrial

the best practices worldwide,” says Environmental and

water and 160 cu.m/h of drinking water. “What we

Sustainable Development consultant John Redwood, a

have here is a city that doesn’t depend on the city,”

former Sustainable Environmental and Social Devel-

says Nelson Alves, referring to the construction site

opment Director at the World Bank. “This set of proj-

and Porto Velho, which is 7 km from the project.

ects should undoubtedly be considered a benchmark

At the concrete batching plant on the left bank,

and merits careful and detailed study and widespread

water reuse is also imperative. Part of the wa-

dissemination.” Redwood adds: “Odebrecht has accu-

ter treated at the WTPs is used to make concrete,

mulated knowledge over many years of experience in

and after cement trucks are washed, the water is

water-related projects, and is putting into practice the

treated in five decantation pools and reused to clean

best of what it has learned.”

regular trucks. “We’ve tried to make our environmental manage-

Scale models

ment system simple, flexible and light, so it is easy for

Several other projects are playing an important

all the workers at the jobsite to understand and prac-

role in preserving the environment in the vicinity of the

tice. That is how we have achieved the expected out-

project, particularly on the Madeira River. The river’s

come of raising awareness on a project where 80% of

name, incidentally, is a reminder of one of the biggest

the Members had never worked on an engineering and

challenges of this project: one of the characteristics

construction project before,” observes Nelson Alves.

of the river is the large concentration of solids in the

“We have had an excellent response, and the nearby

water, mainly wood (tree trunks and branches) and

communities, where most of the workers at Santo An-

sediments, a phenomenon linked to its origins on the

tônio are from, are all benefiting, because people are

erodible slopes of the Andes.

sharing what they learn here with them.” The Santo

The management of these solids has been the fo-

Antônio Plant Environmental Program team, led by

cus of the largest studies conducted at Santo Antônio.

Nelson Alves, is made up of 75 people, including the

The decision reached was to deploy pipe-shaped buoys

technical-operational people. Seventy of those profes-

to convey trunks and branches into a canal running be-

sionals are from Rondônia.

side the dam.

“The environmental protection measures put into

This and other features – such as the fish pas-

practice as part of the construction of the Santo An-

sage system (FPS), which allows aquatic life to swim

tônio hydroelectric plant are very positive and exemplify

upstream and ensures optimal breeding conditions –

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Going fast on the Madeira: river residents travel in small motorboats called “fliers”

have been tested with scale models in Rondônia and

power generation of 3,150 MW, which is essential for

Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil, but also a genuine concern for the protection

The FPS was tested with a scale model built in the Teotônio Waterfall, 20 km upstream from the

of a rich ecosystem that is crucial for Brazil and the world.

Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant construction site.

Professor Henrique Chaves, from the University of

A BRL 10-million model reduced at a scale of 1:80

Brasilia (UNB) School of Forestry, is also a consul-

(one to eighty) reproduces the entire plant. It was

tant who has authored a scholarly paper that shows

built at the São José de Furnas substation at Belford

how the various water-related activities in Santo

Roxo, Rio de Janeiro. It covers a 4,000-sq.m area and

Antônio come together. “Odebrecht has sought, in

can be used to test all the activities involved in the

a rational and integrated way, to reduce environ-

construction project, verifying the functionality of

mental impacts on the watershed, which effectively

the concrete structures and assessing the behav-

contributes to preserving the quantity and quality of

ior of sediment. The diversion of the Madeira River,

water in the sphere of influence of the construction

planned for July 2011, is also being simulated with a

works.”

scale model designed by the PCE Engenharia engineering firm.

At Santo Antônio, the measures that particularly attracted his attention were the rational use of water

“Here we can foresee situations that will come up

to supply the construction site, sewage treatment, re-

during construction and offer alternative solutions,”

cycling of solid waste and protection of water sources

explains engineer Edgar Fernando Trierweiler Neto,

through the replanting of the slopes at the jobsite and

from Furnas (the company that, along with Odebre-

dump sites. “These activities contribute to the preser-

cht, controls Santo Antônio Energia, which is respon-

vation of water quality on the Madeira River, as well as

sible for operating the facility for 30 years). Edgar

the soil and vegetation in the construction site’s sphere

shares responsibility for the scale model with en-

of influence.”

gineer Pedro Ernesto Souza Albuquerque, from the Engevix company.

According to Henrique Chaves, the environmental preservation program implemented at Santo Antônio has made it a benchmark for future hydroelectric proj-

Consolidating activities

ects in Brazil. “It involves innovative, high-impact ini-

Investments like this are part of a very complex sce-

tiatives that are unprecedented for major projects in

nario that highlights not only the expectation of future

this country.”.

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Twelve programs covering a range of environmental mitigation and compensation measures are preserving the waters of the Sabor River in Portugal

34 The last

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written by Fabiana Cabral photos by Holanda Cavalcanti

untamed

river

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n the mountains alongside the Sabor River, António Augusto Salvador, 62, whistles to guide his flock to green pastures. Using a bamboo pole as a walking stick, he strides through the region every day, together with

110 sheep and two dogs. “I’m a shepherd and I was born for this life. It’s all I know,” he says, smiling. A few miles away, Paula Cristina Lopes Sendas Costa, the owner of the Tic Tac Cafe, zips back and forth to greet her customers. “In the mornings, a lot of people come for breakfast, and in the evenings they get together to chat and play cards. It’s become a gathering spot,” she says about her first business. António and Paula live in Torre de Moncorvo in the Bragança District in northern Portugal. Established in the thirteenth century, the mountain town of about 10,000 inhabitants lies near the Spanish border and the confluence of the Sabor and the Douro, which rises in Spain.

Shepherd António Augusto Salvador: “I was born for this life”

The stretch of the Sabor that flows through Torre de Moncorvo is the area where the Complementary Group of Companies (ACE) formed by Odebrecht-

da Fé, Mogadouro and Macedo de Cavaleiros, will

Bento Pedroso Construções (BPC) and Lena Con-

create the most significant water reserves in the

struções has been building the Baixo Sabor hy-

part of the Douro River Basin that lies in Portu-

droelectric plant since 2008 for EDP – Gestão da

guese territory. “This will double water storage on

Produção de Energia S.A.

the Douro,” says Gilberto Costa. Carvalho Bastos

The project is part of the National Program for

agrees: “The Baixo Sabor hydro will also increase

High Hydropower-Potential Dams (PNBEPH) estab-

the capacity of other dams already installed along

lished by the Portuguese Government in 2007. “The

the Douro.”

construction of this and other dams and reinforce-

Not only that, but the dams will help reduce

ment of existing power supplies guarantees the

greenhouse gas emissions, regulate water distri-

autonomy of power generation in Portugal, whose

bution in the region (especially in times of drought),

capacity will rise from 60% to 76% by 2020,” ex-

prevent floods and make surplus energy from wind

plains Project Director Gilberto Costa. “In addition

turbine parks profitable.

to minimizing dependence on foreign energy, these

Turbines and pumping systems will recoup the

projects will enhance the electrical supply system.

operating losses of the wind turbines on “both sides.”

Reversible dams like Baixo Sabor can store water

In certain periods, instead of using turbines to gen-

for periods of increased consumption, using surplus

erate electricity from water, wind power will pump

energy from wind turbines,” adds EDP Representa-

the water and store it in tanks for use during peak

tive Carvalho Bastos.

consumption periods. “The main downstream activ-

The Baixo Sabor hydro will consist of two dams,

ity will be water storage, while the main upstream

upstream and downstream of the Sabor River,

activity will be electricity production. The pumping

equipped with reversible systems – generators and

will be done from the Douro River to the Sabor, and

pumps – to balance energy consumption and waste,

the turbines will operate from the Sabor in the di-

and store water. Its reservoirs, which will be located

rection of the Douro,” says Carlos Matos, the officer

among the towns of Torre de Moncorvo, Alfândega

Responsible for downstream construction works.

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Untamed river

The implementation of measures to control ero-

Unlike the Douro, which has six dams on the Por-

sion and sediment – barriers, slope protection and

tuguese side and seven in Spain, the Sabor is known

maintenance of the riparian gallery vegetation (plant

as the “last untamed river in Europe.” It has never

life typically found on the banks of rivers and lakes)

been subjected to human influence, except for the

– and the installation of water and sewage treatment

activities of small farmers.

plants for the jobsites are also part of the program.

To preserve the waters of this “untamed river”

“In the course of three years of work, we have not

and the plant and animal life on its shores, ACE

seen any change in water quality,” observes Augusta.

Baixo Sabor is carrying out several environmental

The Baixo Sabor hydro will begin generating elec-

mitigation and compensation measures with the

tricity by the second half of 2014. However, the EDP

support of the EDP and partner institutions. There

will carry on with all environmental programs for

are 12 programs related to fauna and flora, aquatic

another 75 years, as stipulated in the contract.

ecosystems, air and water quality and the preservation of historical and cultural heritage in the region,

Local development

with 140 environmental technicians involved in the

Preventing floods and maintaining a balance be-

Construction Project Environmental Management

tween energy production and consumption are not

Plan (PGAO).

the only benefits that the Baixo Sabor hydro will bring

According to Augusta Fernandes, the Coordinator

for local residents. “Thanks to the large body of wa-

of the ACE’s Integrated Management System – QSE

ter formed by the reservoirs, it will create irrigation

(Quality, Safety and Environment), the main goal is

zones, as well as areas for water sports, encouraging

to avoid contaminating the river. “Through the Wa-

tourism and economic development in the interior of

ter Quality Monitoring Program, we conduct monthly

northern Portugal,” says António Monteiro, the Ad-

tests at 23 different points along the 80-km water-

ministrative and Financial Manager of the ACE.

way. We have 27 evaluation parameters such as

Even when viewing the works from afar, António the

acidity, organic load and biological contamination,

shepherd and Paula the cafe owner can already see the

and also evaluate the animal life around the entire

changes they will bring. “Things are getting better be-

river. The documentation is reviewed by the EU Envi-

cause there’s more work,” says António. “I expect more

ronment Commission.”

business and more tourists,” says Paula.

ACE Baixo Sabor Members monitoring water quality: strict protection for the river

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INTERVIEW

hinking

fluidly written by Karolina Gutiez photo by Bruno Veiga

he Brasilia office is just a reference point for this native of Salvador, Bahia, who has worked for the Odebrecht Organization – specifically Odebrecht Energia – for three years. Luiz

Gabriel Todt de Azevedo, 46, never stops. Besides the capital of Brazil, where he lives with his wife and two sons, Bernardo and Victor, ages 12 and 15, the civil engineer divides his time between Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, where this interview was conducted, and the cities where the company has power projects. Sometimes he teaches and lectures at universities like Harvard, in the United States. And he often plays an active role in discussions around the world on issues related to sustainability, especially one that fascinates him and he has known he would work with since childhood: water.

informa informa

That is his routine, and that is how it has always

OI – If you were to draw up a scenario for

been. Before joining Odebrecht, Gabriel, who has

this natural resource in Brazil and world-

a Master’s degree in hydrology and a PhD in wa-

wide, what would it be?

ter resources from Colorado State University,

Gabriel – The situation is not yet alarming, but

the top institution in the US in that field, spent

it is very complex. What will happen in the next 20

14 years at the World Bank, devoting himself to

years is up to us. And by us, I mean governments,

projects involving the main natural resource of

businesses and society. The global demand for

more than 20 countries in Latin America, Africa

water is currently at 4.5 trillion cubic meters per

and Central Europe. He has also held the posi-

year. Seventy percent of that is allocated to farm-

tion of Vice President of the WWF (World Wildlife

ing, and the need for food will only increase. The

Fund), the top international nature conservation

planet can renew this resource at a rate of 4.3 tril-

network. At the World Bank, he financed Odebre-

lion cubic meters per year. That is, we are already

cht projects, several

using a little more than

of which were related

our renewable poten-

to water resources,

tial, but even so, a bil-

so he already knew many of his future co-workers when he joined the Organization. His personal interest in issues related to developing countries and communities

explains

his long experience of

The situation is not yet alarming, but it is very complex. What will happen in the next 20 years is up to us. And by us, I mean governments, businesses and society

lion people worldwide don’t have access to water and 2 billion lack basic sanitation. If the current trends don’t change, by 2030 the demand will increase by 40% to 6.9 trillion cubic meters per year. This

scenario

poses

working at a multilateral

challenges for the plan-

agency. “Today, however,

et, but it also offers fan-

I feel that I can contrib-

tastic opportunities, es-

ute more to development at Odebrecht than at the World

pecially in our field. Odebrecht can make an enormous

Bank. The Organization builds iconic projects worldwide,

contribution to building alternative scenarios in Brazil

and that is highly motivating.”

and other countries.

Odebrecht Informa – What roles does Ode-

OI – Has the Organization scored any goals?

brecht play when it comes to water?

Gabriel – I should point out that Odebrecht had

Gabriel Azevedo – The Organization has

already built important projects before I joined

four key roles. First, we are major water us-

the Organization, but I was familiar with them as

ers, but we are increasingly seeking excellence

a consultant, early in my career, and during my

and efficiency in that regard. Through Foz do

tenure at the World Bank. The construction of

Brasil, we are providers of water supply, col-

Seven Oaks Dam in the US state of California in

lection and treatment services for household

the 90s for flood prevention was criticized at the

and industrial waste. We also build infrastruc-

time, but reopened the debate about large dams

ture facilities related to water, such as hy-

in the American West and demystified the verdict

droelectric dams, irrigation projects, outfalls,

on that issue (Odebrecht later won awards for

pipelines, etc. Finally, we invest in large water

that project, including Contractor of the Year in

projects, such as the Santo Antônio hydroelec-

1999, in the United States). The Integration Canal

tric plant in Rondônia and the irrigation project

(where sections 4 and 5 are nearing completion,

in Olmos, Peru.

and on which Odebrecht was responsible for sec-

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tion 3 as a joint venture) is a complex of pumping

modules on water in Acreditar, the Ongoing Profes-

stations, canals, siphons, aqueducts and tunnels

sional Education Program. We must lead by example

that will use the waters of the Castanhão Dam to

and influence others.

bolster the supply of 4 million inhabitants of 13 counties – including the Fortaleza Metropolitan

OI – What are the global trends for handling

Region. It is the biggest infrastructure project

this issue?

underway in the state of Ceará. It has gained in-

Gabriel – We are starting to see a discussion of virtual

ternational visibility,

water. We must account

since it brings to-

for water that is con-

gether a major in-

sumed when producing

frastructure project with the public’s water needs. Another example is the Ponto Novo Dam, built in the semiarid region of Bahia to perennialize the Itapicuruaçu River, allowing the

installation

three integrated wa-

industrial and agricul-

We must account for water that is consumed when producing industrial and agricultural goods. Brazilian soy and beef, which are major exports, include the water used to produce them. It’s called virtual water

tural goods. Brazilian soy and beef, which are major exports, include the water used to produce them. The same goes for the plastic resins Braskem exports around the globe. As a result, Brazil is one of the largest exporters of embedded water. Attention

ter supply systems

has been focused on the

that benefit a total of

climate change debate. It

70,000 people. The

is indeed a complex issue

project was funded

that has global impacts

by the World Bank, which has made it a bench-

and needs to be discussed. However, water is just as big an

mark, despite its small size.

issue but it has not been analyzed to the same extent.

OI – What can the Santo Antônio hydroelectric

OI – How do you deal with water in your per-

plant teach the world about water?

sonal life?

Gabriel – I’ve worked on several hydroelectric plants,

Gabriel – My father was an engineer and worked on

and I’ve never seen one that was so well planned in

water projects all his life. Therefore, I always knew that

terms of sustainability in all its aspects: the physical

my future was working with water. It’s part of the life of

environment, the social environment, biodiversity, etc.

any human being, but in my case, it has interested me

Although we are interfering with the river, when I see

since childhood. In addition to my work, even my hob-

the project I get the impression that the Madeira and

bies are water related. My favorite is fishing. And just

the plant have a harmonious relationship.

as I was influenced, so I try to share my professional

life with my children. They always visit the projects I’m

OI – What should an organization do to stay at

working on, from the shantytowns of Africa to the San-

the forefront of this issue? And what should

to Antônio plant, where I plan to take them this year.

it not do?

It’s a way of explaining why my work keeps me away

Gabriel – Is shouldn’t underestimate or overlook the

from them, which is justified by the fact that I’m do-

importance of this subject. After all, no economic ac-

ing something good for others and the environment.

tivity can do without water. In addition to implement-

They raise concerns and ask questions. Today, they are

ing best practices internally, organizations should also

much better informed and more aware than the youth

influence the formulation of policies to promote its ef-

of my generation. But their challenge will certainly be

ficient and sustainable use. For example, we include

much greater.

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Aquapoloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facilities in SĂŁo Paulo State: new quality paradigm for water reuse in Brazil

42 informa

reuse The logic of

written by Eliana Simonetti photos by Bruna Romaro

he Aquapolo reused water production project for the Capuava Petrochemical Complex is well under way in the ABC region, an industrial region of Greater São Paulo. When completed, it will solve some serious problems. The main

obstacles to the complex’s development are increasing pollution in the Tamanduateí River, water shortages during the

A milestone for industrial water use in Brazil, the Aquapolo Project was designed to service companies at the Capuava Petrochemical Complex in São Paulo State

dry season, and the current need to use clean drinking water for industrial purposes. Aquapolo will provide the reused water the São Paulo petrochemical sector needs for growth. The industries at the Capuava Petrochemical Complex, also in the ABC region, play an important role in São Paulo State’s economy: they collect 27% of the ICMS (VAT) collected in that state, directly and indirectly employ about 25,000 people, and produce materials for domestic consumption and export – such as ethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene, raw materials for the manufacture of resins, synthetic rubber, paints and plastics. However, to avoid damaging their machinery, they rely very heavily on steady supplies of water – and from that standpoint, face a lack of sustainability. The complex obtains most of its water supply from Córrego dos Meninos, a tributary of the Tamanduateí River. That resource is under severe stress, and cannot be relied on meet current needs – let alone in the future, as the companies at the complex plan to expand their operations.

Cutting-edge technology Aquapolo Ambiental, a Special Purpose Company (SPC) created by Foz do Brasil (Odebrecht’s environmental engineering subsidiary) and SABESP (the São Paulo State sanitation company), has contracted Odebrecht Infraestrutura to build an

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Industrial Water Station (EPAI) using cutting-edge tech-

children leave school for the day. “Odebrecht’s work was

nology to provide water for industrial use in the vicinity of

planned to avoid interfering in the lives of the cities and

its Sewage Treatment Plant (ETE ABC) on the border of

their residents,” says Emyr Costa, Project Director for

São Paulo City and São Caetano do Sul.

Aquapolo.

Currently, the sewage treated at the ETE ABC is re-

So wherever there is a built-up area and heavy foot

turned to nature. When the new EPAI is up and running,

and vehicle traffic, they use the method described above:

after undergoing the usual treatment sewage will be con-

the pipes are installed in small sections, which are then

ducted to a tank containing bacteria that feed on organic

welded together. When the soil permits, the drilling is

waste (when that waste is in short supply, ETH, the Orga-

done with equipment that looks like miniature versions of

nization’s bioenergy company, will provide the materials

the tunnel boring machines used to build subways. And

needed to keep the colony of bacteria alive and active).

in other areas, such as the Tamanduateí River, the pipe is

From that point, the water will pass through a maze-

laid in open trenches.

like oxidation ditch called a TMBR (Tertiary Membrane Bio-

According to data from Sabesp, the São Paulo Metro-

reactor) equipped with ultrafiltration membranes, whose

politan Region is one of the driest in the country, similar

design won a European award. After that, the treatment

to the semi-arid areas of the Brazilian Northeast – about

system involves processing in equipment fitted with reverse

201 cubic meters per person annually. That is well below

osmosis membranes that uses pressure to extract liquid

the amount of water recommended by the UN, which is

with high conductivity, as well as solids, ammonia and oth-

about 2,500 cubic meters. Even if indirectly, Aquapolo will

er elements that make wastewater unsuitable for industrial

help increase the supply of clean water and improve pub-

use. “The Aquapolo project is establishing a new quality

lic health. “There is no doubt that this is a key venture for

paradigm for water reuse in this country,” says Ivanildo

the sustainability of the Greater ABC and Capuava Petro-

Hespanhol, an expert in that field and a professor at the

chemical Complex,” says Aquapolo Ambiental Operations

University of São Paulo Polytechnic (Poli-USP).

Director Guilherme Paschoal.

The reused water will pass through two pumping stations before going on to the complex through a pipeline

Sustainability and savings

made of 900mm-diameter pipe covered with a triple

The Aquapolo plant is the largest of its kind in the

layer of polyethylene (for durability) bearing the Braskem

Southern Hemisphere and the fifth-largest in the world.

brand. The thick polyethylene coating makes touching the

Its most important client is Quattor, a Braskem subsidiary

pipe more like handling a car tire, except that each 12.30m

that will consume over 60% of the project’s production,

section of pipe weighs 17,721 kg.

but companies like Cabot, Oxiteno, White Martins and

At the complex, reused water will be used to produce

Oxicap, all located at the complex, will also benefit. Be-

steam and cool boilers. Four large reservoirs that the ETE

sides gaining sustainability, these companies will garner

ABC is not using are being covered to ensure that clients get

savings, since reused water costs 30% less than the con-

a steady supply of reused water, even in times of drought.

ventionally treated kind. “This is a pioneering project that represents a milestone in industrial water use in Brazil,”

The project and city life

said Celso Luiz Tavares Ferreira, Vice President for Basic

The implementation of this project involves an added

Chemicals at Quattor, which reported a 40% production

challenge. The ABC region is densely occupied by homes

increase in 2010.

and businesses, and its soil contains large quantities of

But there’s more. Although the project is focused on

sand and gravel. Installing a pipeline in that environment

the petrochemical complex, the plant’s capacity will ex-

is no easy task. Today, walking through the streets of

ceed the current demand. That means there are pros-

São Caetano may require a certain amount of patience.

pects for more companies and municipalities in the vicin-

There are huge holes, both wide and deep, every 100 yards

ity of the pipeline to benefit from reused water. Through

where workers in safety equipment are digging horizon-

Aquapolo, everyone stands to gain: businesses, govern-

tal tunnels shored with concrete before the steel pipe is

ments, the public (through maintenance and a possible

installed.

increase in the job supply in that region) and the environ-

But all around them, life goes on: people walk by carrying grocery bags, trucks maneuver in company yards,

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ment, because the quality of the wastewater disposed of after industrial use will be better than it is now.

The Aquapolo project in numbers • Contract for water supply management for the Capuava Complex lasting 34 years until 2043 • Industrial water plant with capacity to produce up to 1,000 liters/second of reused water • 17km pipeline made of 900mm pipe running through three cities (São Paulo, Santo André and São Caetano do Sul) • The industrial complex will no longer consume up to 1.6 billion liters per month of treated drinking water

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elem

of support

Cetrel, in Camaรงari, Bahia: the company connects and centralizes wastewater treatment for the 90 plants at the industrial park

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Cetrel ensures environmental sustainability at the Camaรงari Industrial Complex

ent written by Válber Carvalho photos by Artur Ikishima

tal management. Odebrecht was responsible for that project. Before the effluent reaches the sea, 4.8km from the coast, 97% of biodegradable waste is removed, a rate that exceeds the requirements of Brazil’s environmental legislation. “We carried out a monitoring campaign to determine the conditions in the natural environment before the outfall went into operation and after disposal began. We have signed an agreement with the Federal University at Bahia and organized two annual monitoring campaigns, issuing reports assessing the environmental quality in the marine ecosystem,” explains Eduardo Fontoura, Responsible for

uilt on one of Brazil’s largest aquifers, the

the Laboratory and Monitoring. He points out that: “During

São Sebastião, the Camaçari Complex – the

the 17 years of the outfall’s operations, Cetrel has never

nation’s biggest industrial park – would not

had any problems with the community, or with the vigilant

be environmentally sustainable if it weren’t

fishermen of Arembepe.” The environmental indicators for

for Cetrel. In studies for the creation of the

the marine ecosystem are highly positive.

complex in the 1970s, it was decided, for the first time in the

Today, Cetrel is responsible for managing water resourc-

country, that instead of each company having its own envi-

es throughout the industrial park, both groundwater (the

ronmental protection system, a single state-owned company

water table and aquifers) and surface water. The company

would be responsible for the operations of a collective envi-

also conducts georeferencing (monitoring and production)

ronmental management system. This ensured lower costs

for over 1,000 wells – essential in a region where several

and greater efficiency.

companies extract mineral water for human consumption.

That company was created and called the Central de Eflu-

Sérgio Tomich explains that since Braskem took con-

entes Líquidos do Polo de Camaçari (Cetrel). Today it is Cetrel

trol of the company, Cetrel is longer just an “end-of-pipe

S.A., a Braskem subsidiary. Located 45km from Salvador, Ba-

manager” and has begun prospecting for new business in

hia, it interconnects and centralizes the wastewater treatment

the area where it has recognized expertise. In addition to

of all 90 plants at the Northeastern Brazilian industrial park.

the treatment of contaminated wastewater and ocean and

At full production, the Camaçari complex consumes 12,000

river monitoring, Cetrel also operates pilot water treat-

cu.m/h of water and disposes of approximately 1.2 to 1.5

ment programs for industrial reuse, which the company is

cu.m/s of treated wastewater through its outfall. That is half

carrying out in partnership with Braskem.

its rated flow capacity.

During the COP 16 Conference, held in December 2010

Cetrel, which operates in partnership with Foz do Brasil

in Mexico, with the main theme of Biodiversity Conserva-

in Camaçari, handles two types of effluents: uncontaminated

tion, the World Business Council for Sustainable Develop-

water, mostly rainwater, and industrial wastewater contami-

ment selected the cases with the best practices for envi-

nated by all kinds of organic and inorganic compounds, such

ronmental sustainability. “The Conservation of Biodiversity

as sulfates, nitrates, ammonia and other products that would

in the Marine Ecosystem in the Area of Influence of the

be harmful to the environment if not properly treated.

Cetrel Marine Outfall” was one of the cases selected from

“This is nothing more than polluted water. Our job is to

Brazil.

treat the effluent thoroughly in order to minimize the risks

In January 2011, the State of Bahia, Petrobras, and

when we return it to Nature,” explains Sérgio Tomich, Busi-

some industries outside the complex signed a letter of in-

ness Development leader for Special Materials and Waste

tent to put an end to emissions in Bahia’s Bay of All Saints.

Management at Cetrel.

“In addition to these industrial emissions and waste from the Landulfo Alves oil refinery, almost 90% of domestic

Marine outfall

sewage from Camaçari and Dias D’Avila will be connected

Due to the expansion of the complex in the early 1990s,

to the Cetrel outfall,” says Sérgio Tomich, visibly pleased.

the construction of an outfall to dispose of wastewater in

The waters of the largest bay on the South Atlantic thank

the ocean became necessary to ensure good environmen-

them in advance.

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Argument

Water security and the private sector

In the face of water scarcity, the glass may seem half empty. But a closer relationship between business leaders and policy makers to help develop better policies and apply new technologies can tip the balance in the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favor

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ater insecurity looms as one

developing new technologies for treating water

of the great challenges of

and wastewater. The cost of desalination will soon

the twenty-first century, and

fall to a level where most cities and industries in

it is one that policy makers

coastal areas can turn to it as an important part

and business leaders must

of their portfolio of supplies. There are also com-

face together. Policy makers recognize that the

panies that provide users with just-in-time and

private sector must play a major role in building

just-what’s-needed information – such as on the

the water infrastructure for the future and that

probability of rainfall and on soil moisture – thus

technologies developed by leading companies are

increasing efficiency of water use.

critical tools for managing scarce water supplies.

Executives at these companies know that prog-

But business leaders must do more to shape the

ress depends on linked advancement in technolo-

understanding of how good policies make it pos-

gies and policies. They have seen instances where

sible for the private sector to invest and to in-

policy shortcomings mean that existing technolo-

novate.

gies that make more efficient use of water are not

Public-sector leaders and NGOs have long dom-

being fully employed. This has prompted them

inated the debate on water policy, but recently, a

to engage with political leaders to ensure that

number of progressive companies have started

key policies are implemented. Corporate lead-

to focus on how best to effectively manage water.

ers highlight examples like the Murray-Darling

These companies have begun by paying much more

Basin, in Australia, where an enabling policy en-

attention to the water environment in which they

vironment means that a 70% reduction in water

function.

availability has had virtually no impact on the val-

One group of companies has found that grow-

ue of agricultural output.

ing water scarcity constitutes a “threat to their so-

The glass is thus half full, not least because

cial license to operate.” In response, some have

progressive business leaders understand that

made large donations to activist groups. Others

water scarcity is an issue that will affect their

have asked for water standards that they can then

industries, and their communities, and they are

meet. The most far-sighted of these companies,

engaging with policies that help shape solutions.

however, recognize that while they have to man-

In turn policy leaders have begun to understand

age water efficiently within their factory, society

how the private sector can contribute to more ef-

needs an equitable, efficiency-stimulating, and

fective policies and implementation. More busi-

predictable regulatory environment that governs

ness and policy leaders need to follow the lead of

all water uses. These companies believe that busi-

their progressive colleagues. That is how we will

nesses have useful and legitimate inputs into the

secure further development of new technologies,

policy-making process, and that good business

the formulation of a new generation of water-

practices can guide effective implementation in

management policies and the achievement of a

the public sector.

water-secure world.

A second group of companies is developing technologies that can enable society to get more product per drop of water. For example, the development of productivity-enhancing seeds and agricultural technologies. Because agriculture accounts for more than 80% of water used in the developing world these innovations are vital for better water management. Other companies are

John Briscoe

is the Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Environmental Engineering at Harvard University in the United States

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Valdir cruz

“Water-resource management is one of the world’s greatest challenges” John Briscoe

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news people The following stories are reports on the recent accomplishments of Odebrecht Organization teams in Brazil and worldwide, and sections on the day-to-day experiences of company members

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Odebrecht General Meeting: the past, present and future come together

Building technician and author Krishnamurti dos Anjos is publishing his fifth book

In the Southern Bahia Lowlands, young people (literally) build their civic spirit

Three young American members discuss their practical experiences with TEO

OOG diversifies its businesses and begins working in the subsea engineering segment

The daily lives of Gabriela Rocha, Juliana Monteiro and Nadja Fontes: Odebrecht people

organization

At the Organization’s Annual General Meeting, Marcelo Odebrecht underscores the importance of TEO as the pioneer generations’ greatest legacy

Reflections on a journey written by José Enrique Barreiro photos by Beg Figueiredo and Élcio Carriço

“I

am thankful to the genera-

building the present and will build

ber 21, 2010, at the Organization’s

tions that preceded us, the

the future.”

Salvador headquarters.

people who came before us

With these words, Marcelo Ode-

During his hour-long talk, he out-

and afforded us the conditions to

brecht, President and CEO of Ode-

lined the main achievements of Ode-

do what we are doing now. It was

brecht S.A., concluded his pre-

brecht’s companies as a whole in

they who consolidated TEO, our

sentation at the Odebrecht Annual

2010, and gave an overview of the Or-

greatest legacy, with which we are

General Meeting, held on Decem-

ganization’s current stage of growth.

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He highlighted, among other things,

sistent entrepreneurial culture,” he

the increasing the number of mem-

said. “In that culture, the key word is

bers – Odebrecht is now made up

trust, because that is what enables

of about 120,000 people of over 60

delegation, decentralization, part-

nationalities, working around the

nership and all our other entrepre-

world – observing that the number

neurial practices.”

of members in Brazil grew by 71% in 2010 (from 45,000 to 78,000).

Marcelo Odebrecht also underscored various projects the Orga-

Marcelo also presented data on

nization’s companies are carrying

the Organization’s increasingly inter-

out in the field of Sustainable De-

national and diversified operations,

velopment, which in 2010 benefited

underscoring the recent arrival of

450,000 people in 550 communities.

Braskem in Mexico, Odebrecht Lat-

To continue the Organization’s

in America & Angola in Cuba, Ode-

growth and achieve its Vision for

brecht International in Guinea, and

2020, he urged the leaders pres-

Odebrecht Oil & Gas in South Korea.

ent to carry on “dreaming our cli-

“In the course of these increas-

ents’ dream, giving them integrated

ingly international and diverse op-

and innovative solutions and being

erations, our main challenge is to

the choice of each and every one of

continue applying the same, con-

them.”

In the larger picture, Emílio, Marcelo and Norberto Odebrecht, and in this photo, the Annual Meeting plenary session

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Sustainability practices The Odebrecht Annual General Meeting was attended by shareholders, members of the Board of Directors of Odebrecht S.A., advisory board members and key leaders

1 7

of the Organization. The results for each company were presented by

els of development,” said the founder

Maurício Medeiros, from the Ode-

of Odebrecht.

brecht Foundation; José Carlos

Emílio Odebrecht, Chairman of the

Grubisich, from ETH; Paul Altit, from

Board of Odebrecht S.A., closed the

OR; Fernando Reis, from Foz do

meeting by reading his annual mes-

Brasil; Roberto Ramos, from OOG;

sage in which, among other things, he

Carlos Fadigas, from Braskem,

urged the leaders to give increasing

Henrique Valladares, from Ode-

emphasis to their companies’ Social

brecht Energia; Márcio Faria, from

Report: “Now, more than ever, we

Odebrecht Engenharia Industrial;

need to incorporate sustainable prac-

Benedicto Júnior, from Odebrecht

tices, creating value for society and

Infraestrutura; Luiz Mameri, from

the communities we serve.”

Odebrecht Angola & Latin America; Euzenando Azevedo, from Odebre-

Family commitment

cht Venezuela and Luiz Rocha, from

The Organization’s companies also

Odebrecht International.

held their own annual meetings. At

The Honorary Chairman of Ode-

the meeting of the Engineering &

brecht S.A., Norberto Odebrecht,

Construction companies, one of the

read his annual message, in which

highlights was the Gathering of Com-

he urged the Organization’s leaders

panions, held at Costa do Sauípe on

to increasingly understand and ap-

December 18, bringing together about

ply the Odebrecht Entrepreneurial

300 members’ spouses.

Technology: “Only then you can take

The theme of the meeting was

our Organization to ever-higher lev-

“Spouses, Family and Career.” Marcelo

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Scenes of the Annual Meeting: 1. Gathering of Companions participants 2. Mário Sérgio Cortella 3. Ticiana Marianetti, Marcos Rabelo and Fernando Reis 4. Sany Gomes 5. Euzenando Azevedo and Henrique Valladares 6. José Carlos Grubisich, Roberto Ramos, Daniel Villar and Paul Altit 7. Valéria Ventura

Odebrecht, a special guest at the event,

Sany Gomes, Yvana Couri and An-

& Organization at Odebrecht S.A., who

gave a talk and answered questions

drea Rabello, all members’ wives,

presented the Organization’s Vision for

from the companions. “Family is what’s

spoke about their own experiences and

2020; educator and philosopher Mário

most important,” said Marcelo, who

their work with their counterparts in the

Sérgio Cortella, who proposed a reflec-

stressed the importance of the fam-

countries where they now live, the UAE,

tion on married life as a process similar

ily’s commitment to striking a balance

Argentina and Panama, respectively.

to building a construction project; and

between the Odebrecht member’s professional and personal fulfillment.

Other speakers at the event were Carla Barreto, Responsible for People

intercultural psychologist Andrea Fuks, who gave the final talk.

informa

PROFILE: Krishnamurti G贸es dos Anjos

My experiences and you

A building technician, Krishnamurti uses his talent as a writer to share the lessons he has learned

informa

written by Válber Carvalho photos by Márcio Lima

rishnamurti Góes dos An-

him. “O viajante” (The Traveler), the

jos can be proud of be-

autobiographical story that opens

ing gifted with a talent for

his new book, describes his experi-

numbers and words. He is the offi-

ences in different parts of the world

cer Responsible for Planning for the

on company business, including

BA-093 state highway in the Salva-

Angola and Panama.

dor metropolitan area, in northeast-

A voracious reader since his teens,

ern Brazil. A complex system of 257

he sees literature as a mission. “We

km of roads being run as a private

should pass on our experiences to

concession, it connects the Cama-

people in a way that somehow helps

çari Petrochemical Complex and its

make the world become a better

surroundings to the Port of Aratu

place,” he argues. He is already re-

and Salvador. Despite his intense

searching his next book: a historical

work schedule, he always makes

novel set in Bahia in 1798, during

time to write. Continuing his writing

the separatist and abolitionist up-

career, he published his fifth book,

rising known as the Tailors’ Revolt.

12 contos e meio poema (12 Stories

Of all the special memories Krish-

and Half a Poem), in early February.

namurti cherishes, one that par-

A passion for writing is in his blood.

ticularly stands out is his first meet-

“My grandfather, Severo dos Anjos,

ing with Norberto Odebrecht when

was the literary editor of A Luva and

Krishnamurti was a young techni-

the first to publish a poem by Jorge

cal school graduate. “I completely

Amado,” he says.

changed my concept of a leader,”

A Building Technician, Krishnamurti

he admits. That encounter with the

joined Odebrecht in 1986. He left five

founder of the Odebrecht Organiza-

years later, but continued to work with

tion and other significant episodes

the Organization as an independent

in his career are the inspiration for

contractor. That was when he started

Krishnamurti’s writing. His writing

writing. Later on, Odebrecht rehired

and his life.

“We should pass on our experiences to people in a way that somehow helps make the world become a better place”

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ODEBRECHT FOUNDATION

CEMENTING

CIVIC SPIRIT The jobsite environment changes young peoples’ lives in the Southern Lowlands

written by Gabriela Vasconcellos photo by Márcio Lima

n the midst of concrete blocks,

to join the project, Denise had always

cement and sand, Denise Ba-

been curious about her father’s and

tista’s bright lipstick and loose

brother’s profession. “I’m crazy about

hair attract attention. At the age of 26,

my job. It’s hard work, but when you

munications, project design, budgets

the “pedreirinha” (little bricklayer), as

do what you love, it gets easy. That’s

and career and life plans. During the

her classmates affectionately call her,

the choice I’ve made,” she says firmly.

following three weeks they are given

is not considered vain. She just likes

According to Christophe Houel, the

access to practical knowledge on a

to stress her femininity. “When I’m in

project’s Educational Leader, De-

construction site, under the watchful

uniform, I look like a man. I want peo-

nise’s talent was already clear when

eyes of educators, supervisors and

ple to see I’m a woman.” A resident

they selected the participants. “Today

engineers.

of Igrapiúna, Bahia, she joined the

it’s more than proven,” he says.

Denise Batista, the “little bricklayer”: “I’m crazy about my job”