Water security in two megacities: observations on public actions during 2020 in São Paulo and London

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses water security and wellbeing within a public health perspective and focuses on urban areas with high population density. It analyses access to safe water and the multiple challenges to water security in two megacities: São Paulo and London, comparing differences and similarities. It illustrates how water security and health are related to Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6): universal and equitable access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene, and SDG3: healthy lives and well-being for all, focusing on the problem exacerbated by the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, during 2020.

KEYWORDS:

• Water security
• public health
• sustainable development goals
• São Paulo
• London
• megacities

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP [2015/03804- 5309];the British Council via BNRL Urban Water Security in Brazil from Infrastructure to Social Action 360/FAPESP [2018/50088-5]; and the Fundação Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Programa Nacional de Pós-Doutorado/CAPES/Processo [88887.337883/2019-00].