Abstract
Abstract Santos and São Vicente Estuarine Complex (SSEC) is a densely populated coastal area that houses the main port in Latin America and the most prominent Brazilian industrial complex. Irregular occupations in preservation areas result in a disorderly increase in population, with negative social and environmental impacts. We evaluated the average annual growth of 74 slums occurring in this area and variations in water quality from 2005 to 2018. We monitor the growth of the occupied areas and estimate their respective populations. The average annual population growth was over 6% per year (p.a.). Invasions of new areas and verticalisation of already occupied areas represent 85% of the growth seen. The monthly polluting loads exceeded 450 tonnes or 2,086,000 m3, compromising the waters and local and regional public health. We strongly recommend re-urbanising the area using the resource savings caused by water loss to reduce the risks of ecosystem degradation, damage to health and disease spread.
Highlights
According to the United Nations, the world population growth rate will be more pronounced in the coming decades, with an increase of 2.5–3 billion people by 2050, and with that, there will be an increase in the need for water, sanitation and hygiene (Leridon 2020)
Industrial and tourist activities drive the Baixada Santista Metropolitan Region (BSMR) located in the Santos and São Vicente Estuarine Complex (SSEC) and induce invasions in flooded areas, where we find the largest slum on stilts in Brazil (Fabiano, Muniz 2010; Sampaio et al 2011)
74 vulnerable nuclei (VN) informal areas presented a geometric rate of annual growth of the population in non-conforming housing (GAGRNH) of 5.60% p.a., below the BSMR growth rate of 6.07% p.a. in 525 VN (Table 3)
Summary
According to the United Nations, the world population growth rate will be more pronounced in the coming decades, with an increase of 2.5–3 billion people by 2050, and with that, there will be an increase in the need for water, sanitation and hygiene (Leridon 2020). This phenomenon will boost vulnerability in socio-environmental, urban, economic and political spheres (Cutter et al 2003). Coastal zones are more densely populated than inland areas and exhibit higher rates of population growth and urbanisation.
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