Northeast and Midwest may be more affected, with up to 30 days annually; risk of desertification should increase
Brazilian cities may have, on average, 12 days of interruption in supply per year until 2050, according to the study “Future Demand for Water in 2050: Challenges of Efficiency and Climate Change”, released this Tuesday (28.Oct.2025) by , in partnership with the consultancy Ex Ante. Read (PDF – 5 MB).
Drier regions, such as parts of the Northeast and Midwest, will be most affected. These areas could face more than 30 days of rationing per year, with consequences for public health, agricultural production and urban supply. There are also warnings about the expansion of the Brazilian semi-arid region and the risk of desertification if there is no planning and adaptation.
The survey indicates that the demand for treated water is expected to increase by 59.3% in the next 2 decades in Brazil. The main causes of the increase will be economic advancement, the expansion of cities and rising temperatures. This scenario could make water management one of the biggest challenges for Brazilian authorities.
The study also shows that By 2050, the maximum temperature in Brazilian cities should increase by around 1°C, while the minimum, by 0.47°C, compared to 2023. The increase could cause less replacement of water sources, more aridity in already critical areas, in addition to the risk of desertification in new regions of Brazil.
executive president of Instituto Trata Brasil, states that “the data reinforces the urgency of acting now”.
“If we do not reduce losses and plan for sustainable use, already vulnerable regions could face prolonged shortages. If we can reduce losses, we balance supply and demand and guarantee supply without demanding more from our sources”it says.
