Cedae, the water supply company, has confirmed a planned inspection at the Guandu Water Treatment Station, scheduled for Thursday, which will reduce the system's output to 50% capacity starting at 4 AM. This reduction in water supply is expected to impact approximately 10 million residents throughout the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro. The company anticipates that normal water distribution will resume by 10 PM, although it could take up to 72 hours for regular water supply to be restored to all areas.

The necessity for these inspections arises from a previous incident in February when a large pipeline burst within the Guandu treatment facility, resulting in significant flooding that affected surrounding areas. Cedae has indicated that the maintenance work will involve testing and checking various components within the system, such as piping and valves, to prevent future incidents and ensure system reliability.

Residents have been alerted to the potential short-term disruption, as the company prepares to mitigate any foreseeable problems. Cedae is focused on ensuring that the critical water supply infrastructure is functioning adequately to serve the demands of the population, especially in light of the significant impacts that previous disruptions have caused, both financially and socially. This situation underlines the ongoing challenges faced by urban utilities in maintaining infrastructure and delivering essential services to large metropolitan areas.