Government will bring water to 27 municipalities in the southeast.

Tocantins 247 - The emergency action, Operation Water Truck, which will serve the southeastern region of Tocantins, will begin to be implemented next Monday, the 3rd. The strategies were announced by the State Government, through the Tocantins Sanitation Agency (ATS), on Wednesday afternoon, the 29th, to representatives of the 27 municipalities in that region, which year after year have suffered from drought. The partnership for hiring the trucks is with the federal government and is valid until November 30th.

The meeting also served as an opportunity for ATS technicians to answer any questions the representatives might have. According to Eder Fernandes, president of the Agency, the action was conceived and planned several months ago due to the history of drought in the southeast. The president believes that each resident who benefits will have a much better quality of life with the operation, which will deliver 300 liters of water per person three times a week, regardless of the number of members in each family.

According to a survey by ATS, Paranã and Arraias, due to their large territorial extension, are the most affected by the drought in the southeast. "We will provide assistance to all 27 municipalities, seeking to alleviate this suffering caused by the drought, delivering water to the people by truck," stated the president.

In total, 60 trucks are being contracted and, depending on the needs of each municipality, a larger number may be allocated to meet the demand. "There will be municipalities with up to five trucks available," said Eder Fernandes. The agency explains that residents who do not yet have cisterns installed on their properties should prepare large-capacity containers to store the water.

aid

The mayors of the cities served praised ATS's action, stating that Operation Water Truck is timely. In Dianópolis, one of the largest cities in the southeast, the trucks will serve more than two thousand residents in the rural area. "I want to thank the State Government and ATS, because I see that this operation will greatly help our region, which is very dry and we are going through an extremely difficult situation. My words are of gratitude," said Mayor Régis de Melo.

In Rio da Conceição, where the Manuel Alves River cuts the municipality in half, the lack of water trucks hinders service to the more than 80 registered families. But with the ATS operation, the municipal secretary of Environment and Tourism, Gloraci Lopes, believes in a new era for everyone. "Today, most families depend on Dianópolis [to obtain water]," said the secretary. "Without the government's help, families wouldn't have the water they need," she emphasized.

In the municipality of Paranã, 60% of residents will benefit from Operation Water Truck. This statement comes from Mayor Edson Lustosa, who for many years witnessed rural producers carrying water on the backs of animals for long distances. "I see this initiative from the State Government in a positive light," said Edson. "The action comes at a good time, and I want to congratulate Governor Marcelo Miranda, because these trucks arriving with water minimize the problem for families," said the mayor.

Cisterns

Eder Fernandes also stated that, in parallel with Operation Water Truck, ATS technicians will continue with the installation of cisterns. "When we took over management, there were just over 1.400 cisterns installed, and today we already have more than 3.500 units in full use by residents. Our goal is that, by the end of the year, all 11.050 cisterns will be installed," he emphasized.