According to a report on urban water supply released Mar. 22, 55 percent of Brazil’s municipalities could face water shortages by 2015. The report, prepared by the National Water Agency (ANA), estimates that 12.9 billion dollars would have to be invested to ensure the supply of the water needed by all of Brazil’s 5,565 municipalities.

Of this total investment, 74 percent is needed in the northeastern and southeastern regions of the country, which are affected by a semi-arid climate and major population concentrations, respectively.

“The aim of the report is to provide data and serve as an instrument for the development of projects and public policies,” Sérgio Ayrimoraes, the assistant superintendent of the ANA water resources department, told Tierramérica.

Some 1,200 technical experts contribute to the ANA report, published annually since 2005. It focuses on basic water and sanitation services and provides detailed figures for the five regions of Brazil.