Global corporations Orbia Advance Corporation and Microsoft have announced a pioneering partnership aimed at addressing water stress and enhancing water resilience worldwide. The collaboration will focus on supporting Microsoft’s ambitious goal of replenishing more water than it consumes by 2030. Through various water-positive initiatives, Orbia’s Building & Infrastructure business, Wavin, will bring its cutting-edge solutions to cities and urban environments as part of this endeavour.
The first major project under this partnership is already underway in Brazil, in collaboration with SANASA, the public water supply and sanitation company in Campinas, São Paulo. The Campinas region, which relies heavily on the Piracicaba, Capivari, and Jundiaí (PCJ) river basin for its water supply, has faced seven significant droughts in the past decade. This river basin provides over 70% of the water for the region, including São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city.
Orbia, Microsoft, and SANASA are joining forces to reduce water losses in the region, which has become increasingly vulnerable due to climate change. The project utilises Orbia’s Water Network Management (WNM) service, a cloud-based solution powered by TaKaDu. This technology helps utilities manage and improve water network efficiency by detecting leaks, bursts, and other faults. By monitoring the system in real-time, the WNM service allows SANASA to react quickly to issues, preventing unnecessary water loss and enhancing the resilience of the water supply system. The system is supported by a central control room, operated by Orbia’s team of water engineers.
Eliza Roberts, Water Lead at Microsoft, emphasised the significance of this collaboration. “We believe Microsoft has an essential role to play in addressing water stress in areas where we operate. Water is a shared challenge that requires collective action. We are excited to partner with Orbia and SANASA on a project that unites public and private sector efforts to reduce water loss in São Paulo.”
For SANASA, the partnership represents an important step towards sustainable water management. Manuelito Magalhães Júnior, President of SANASA, highlighted the importance of the collaboration in driving innovation. “Our vision is to be a leader and benchmark in sustainable water management, not just in Brazil but globally. With Microsoft and Orbia, we can utilise state-of-the-art technologies and innovative partnerships to improve efficiency across all areas of our business.”
Orbia’s involvement in the project reflects its broader commitment to sustainability and water security. Tania Rabasa Kovacs, Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs at Orbia, stressed the importance of collaboration in addressing global water challenges. “At Orbia, we understand the interconnectedness of climate and water and are committed to delivering solutions that ensure water security. Achieving a net-positive water impact is central to our mission, and it’s only through collaboration that we can realise our goals. Working with Microsoft and SANASA is a crucial step towards ensuring water security for future generations.”
This partnership marks a significant moment in the global effort to address water stress, combining technological innovation with the expertise of leading corporations to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time. By reducing water losses in Campinas, Orbia, Microsoft, and SANASA are paving the way for sustainable water management solutions that could be replicated in other regions facing similar challenges.
As the world continues to grapple with the effects of climate change and growing water scarcity, partnerships like this demonstrate the importance of collective action in securing water resources for the future. The project in São Paulo is just the beginning of what is set to be a long-term collaboration aimed at making meaningful progress in global water resilience.