- The project will generate an estimated 210 million litres of annual water savings.
- Approximately 64 kilometres of large-diameter pipelines in São Paulo will be inspected using Aganova’s Nautilus technology to detect and locate hidden leaks.
- The 10-year collaboration unites AWS (sponsor), Sabesp (utility), Aganova (technology provider), and Effico (local partner), between 2025-2035.
São Paulo, Brazil – November 17, 2025. A pioneering partnership uniting major public and private companies is tackling water scarcity and losses in Brazil.
Multinational Amazon, Spanish technology provider Aganova, and Latin America’s largest water and sanitation company, Sabesp have launched a long-term initiative to recover millions of litres of water annually in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region through advanced leak detection and repair.
The 10-year program, running from 2025 to 2035, will inspect approximately 64 kilometres of large-diameter pipelines, generating an estimated 210 million litres of water savings each year. This amount is equivalent to 84 Olympic-sized swimming pools, benefiting millions of residents in Brazil’s largest metropolitan area.
Addressing water loss in Latin America’s economic powerhouse
São Paulo, Brazil’s biggest and most populous city and the economic powerhouse of Latin America, has faced severe water crises in recent years, with a combination of climate change and urbanisation creating significant water security challenges. The project aligns with the city’s commitment to building water resilience and ensuring that all citizens across the city have access to clean, reliable water, now and in the future.
Serving over 28 million customers across the region, Sabesp loses nearly 29% of its water supply due to leaks in ageing infrastructure. São Paulo’s experience is reflective of a global issue, where water scarcity and infrastructure inefficiencies are threats to urban sustainability.
Using AI to address water leakage
At the heart of the project is Aganova’s Nautilus system, a wireless, neutrally buoyant acoustic inspection technology designed to operate inside large-diameter pressurised pipelines under live conditions. By detecting the hidden leaks and anomalies that remain invisible to conventional methods, Nautilus enables Sabesp to carry out targeted repairs that reduce non-revenue water (NRW) and strengthen the efficiency and resilience of São Paulo’s water infrastructure.
The technology is powered by artificial intelligence and runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud infrastructure, with EFFICO, Aganova’s local partner in Brazil, providing on-the-ground expertise and engineering support.
This combination offers precise leak detection, real-time data analysis, and faster decision-making, enabling Sabesp to repair leaks that traditional methods might overlook, water that would otherwise be lost before reaching homes and businesses.
“Nearly a third of São Paulo’s water is lost to leaks before it reaches homes and businesses,” said Marcos Barrera, CEO of Aganova. “Our Nautilus technology, powered by AWS cloud computing, helps Sabesp detect these hidden leaks in real-time that traditional methods simply can’t reach. AWS gives us the computing power to analyse acoustic data instantly and pinpoint exactly where water is escaping, without needing costly physical infrastructure, ensuring more water reaches the communities that need it most.”
Collaboration drives Amazon’s replenishment goals
The project is one of two being launched by Amazon Web Services in the São Paulo metropolitan area. Another collaboration is with Fundação SOS Mata Atlantica to restore 44 hectares of forest in the PCJ and Sorocaba River Basins by planting 100,000 native trees in Permanent Preservation Areas. Degradation of these watersheds, which provide water to the city of São Paulo, creates a complex challenge that threatens both human health, economic growth, and ecosystem viability.
Together, the two projects are expected to replenish 354 million litres of water annually to communities in the region.
“These investments in São Paulo represent our commitment to being a good water steward in Brazil by supporting both nature-based solutions and innovative technology to address water challenges,” said Juliana Sztrajtman, Country Manager for Amazon Brazil. “As we scale our operations and grow our presence across Brazil, our responsibilities to the country and its communities grow in parallel. By working with local partners, we can help build more resilient water systems that benefit communities, businesses, and ecosystems.”
ENDS
Editor’s notes:
The project brings together Amazon as sponsor, financing both the inspection campaign and enabling works; Sabesp as the utility operator, responsible for repair activities; Aganova as the technology provider, delivering advanced diagnostics; and EFFICO, Aganova’s local partner in Brazil, providing on-the-ground expertise and engineering support. Together, these organisations are setting a new benchmark for how innovation and partnership can tackle the pressing challenge of water loss in Latin America.
Aganova’s expanding footprint in Latin America and beyond reflects its proven track record in helping utilities reduce water losses and optimise asset management. The company collaborates with SABESP in Brazil, Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) in Ireland, SEDIF in France, , Aquedotto Pugliesse, Acoset and Aqua Latina in Italy, Aquanet in Poland, SMAS (Serviços Municipalizados de Sintra) in Portugal, Sanepar in Paraná, ONEE in Morocco, utilities in the Middle East such as EtihadWE and TAQA, several utilities in Spain, among others. These partnerships underscore the global demand for Aganova’s Nautilus technology and reaffirm its reputation as a trusted provider of advanced pipeline diagnostics. For more information, visit aganova.com.
This initiative forms part of Amazon’s global water replenishment program, which includes more than 30 replenishment projects worldwide. Once completed, these projects are expected to return over 14 billion litres of water annually to ecosystems and communities.
As part of its long-term environmental commitment, Amazon aims to be “water positive” by 2030 – meaning it will return more water to the environment than it consumes in its direct operations. As of the end of 2024, AWS had achieved 53% of this goal. To learn more about Amazon’s water stewardship commitments and progress, visit sustainability.aboutamazon.com/environment/water.
For more information, visit About Amazon BR or contact the press office at: AmazonCorpCommsBr@jeffreygroup.com
