MULTIPLE USES DEPARTMENT (MUD)

The principle of multiple uses of water resources was established by the 1997 Law 9.433. The multiple uses of water is one of the basic principles of the Brazilian National Water Policy, thus establishing equal access rights to water resources to all user sectors, giving priority to human and animal supply in cases of water shortage. The increasing demand for water resources has generated a series of inter-sectoral conflict of interests. The National Water Agency, through this Department, acts as a conflict mediator between different water-users throughout the country.

The relevance of ANA's conflict mediator role of can be illustrated by the year 2001 conflict between hydropower and navigation users in the Tiete-Parana rivers. As a response to the electrical energy crisis during the year 2001 the hydroelectric sector proposed to use the Ilha Solteira, one of the Tiete-Parana reservoirs, up to its lowest level so as to increase the energy production 4.700 MW per month. That solution would require to build a dam that would impede navigation temporarily. This proposal was not acceptable for the navigation sector. ANA convened all relevant stakeholders and, acting as a mediator in conflict resolution had new operative rules being established with the approval of all stakeholders; as a result, navigation was not interrupted but, instead, had a 26% increase in the volume of grains being transported by ship, with a very positive impact for the navigation sector in Brazil.

The Department is also responsible to address the impacts of both floods and droughts in Brazil. Floods remain as an important problem in many regions , resulting in both economic and human losses every year. ANA has developed warning system against floods in partnership with the government's Civil Defense Department. As far as droughts is concerned, alternatives are being developed for providing water to the scattered rural population in the North-East region by promoting the construction of rural cisterns that collect and keep rainwater for the dry season.

MAIN PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS

The P1MC - "1 Million Cisterns Program" aims at ensuring water provision to one million poor rural families, who are usually scattered over the semi-arid region's territory, thus contributing to improve their condition, strengthening the human and social capital already present in these very poor areas.