A sewage spill in front of Casa Hospital, in Rua Barão de Lucena, in Botafogo, in the Southern Region, disrupted work for weeks and affected patients, health unit staff and those living or traveling in the area. According to residents and staff of the hospital, the problem began after Cedae began work on moving two pipes installed under the grounds of the Casa Rui Barbosa Foundation.
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Dirty water mixed with sewage occupies the road at different times of the day, making it difficult for pedestrians to pass and even invade buildings. Casablanca Hospital workers say the situation worsened after Cedae teams dug a well in front of the unit.
– The situation is chaotic. Cedae began digging a well in front of the unit. They applied a layer of cement to make containment and ended up damaging the entire sewer network. “We are desperate,” said Fernando Fonseca, Rede Casa’s director of construction and maintenance.
Images recorded at the site show at least one hole filled with fresh cement. The basic structure of the urban drainage system has the function of collecting water and directing it to the rainwater network, but it is obstructive.
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In a memorandum, Sedai reported that the intervention in the area involved digging three underground wells to access the machinery at the corners of Assunção and Theodor Herzl Streets; Theodor Herzl and Baron de Lucena; Baron Lucena and São Clemente. The concessionaire also indicates that all sections will be closed after the completion of service scheduled in 2026, and that there are other infrastructure companies operating in the area.
Salma Almeida, who has lived on the street for 25 years and is the manager of the residential complex next to the hospital, said that sewage enters the building every few days – and living with it has become part of residents’ routine.
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— Today it is difficult to get in and out of the building. We have to risk passing without entering the sewers. However, when walking on the sidewalk, we have to avoid the car that passes faster so that the water does not hit us.
Salma also mentions that one of the points where sewage invaded the residential complex was a wall attached to Casa Hospital. After making several complaints to Cedae without an effective response, the residents themselves organized the installation of a drain on the site, in order to prevent sewage from overflowing into the garage. The system was built in September, but despite this, residents are still living with a strong odor, an increase in mosquitoes and even insects.
Residents are trying to solve the problems of sewage leakage
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This problem has also changed the daily commute for those who live on the same street. Matthews Batista explains what he did to avoid traffic:
— I live near Rua Ministro Raul Fernandez. If I came from São Clemente on foot, I would enter my street and that’s it. But with all this sewage, I’d rather wander down Rua Assunção or enter Edoardo Ginelli. I walk more, but I avoid the sewers. “There are days when the street turns into a swimming pool,” he said.
In a memorandum, Águas do Rio reported that it had found it would be necessary to replace a section of the wastewater collection network on Rua Tudor Herzi, in Botafogo. “Currently, the franchisee is working on site until the mesh replacement service is implemented, which is currently scheduled.”