Brazilian ports are increasing the use of water reuse and rainwater harvesting systems to reduce the need for fresh water in operations. Initiatives include treating used water (effluents), utilizing rainwater, and reapplying treated water in activities such as cleaning, maintenance, toilet use, and irrigation. Although there is no national public survey yet that compiles the number of facilities with these systems or the total volume of water reused, different terminals already show measurable results and goals.
More than reducing environmental impact, reuse allows for a decrease in the demand for water captured for port activities. At Porto Sudeste, in Itaguaí (RJ), 86% of the water used in operations is reused, an index that almost doubled compared to the 42% recorded in 2019. The terminal also reduced water consumption per ton handled by over 62%. The system has three treatment and reuse stations for rainwater and one sanitary effluent treatment station.
Treated Water Returns to Operation
At Porto Itapoá, in Santa Catarina, a reuse station has already allowed for the reuse of over 2 million liters of water. The unit has the capacity to treat up to 10 cubic meters per day and uses membrane technology, which separates impurities during treatment and allows water to be recovered for uses that do not require potable quality, such as vehicle washing, maintenance, and toilet use. The terminal also treats over 7 million liters of used water per year.
The principle is simple: instead of using potable water or continuously capturing new volumes for activities that do not require tap water, the terminal treats used water and puts it back into circulation. This measure reduces the demand for new water resources and expands water utilization within the operation itself.
Rain Also Becomes a Resource
Rainwater harvesting is another approach adopted by port facilities. At Transpetro's Terminal de Belém, in Pará, a system installed in the containment area of the LPG spheres has the capacity to reuse up to 3,600 cubic meters of water per year. The estimate is to save 1,300 cubic meters of treated water annually, with a projected 40% reduction in annual freshwater consumption.
In other terminals, reused water is also directed to activities that do not require potable water. At Porto do Pecém, in Ceará, treated effluents are used for irrigating green areas and gardens. At Terminal Portonave, in Santa Catarina, water used for washing machinery and equipment is reused, while there are plans to implement systems to recover rainwater in new areas.
Goals to Expand Reuse
In addition to already implemented initiatives, organizations in the sector are beginning to establish specific goals to increase water use efficiency. In the action plan of Vports – concessionaire of the Espírito Santo Port Complex – linked to the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) Sustainability Pact, for example, the goal is for 75% of port units to have rainwater reuse systems.
Porto do Itaqui, in Maranhão, also adopted a water efficiency indicator, with the goal of keeping water consumption at up to three liters per ton handled per quarter. Although the indicator is not specific to reuse, it shows how water consumption can be incorporated into operational performance monitoring.
As part of the Sustainability Pact, 51 organizations from the port, waterway, and airport sectors committed, in 2026, to commitments and action plans related to the ESG agenda. The pact is not specific to water management but provides for sustainability goals, indicators, and actions that may include efficient resource use and the circular economy.
The adoption of reuse and rainwater harvesting systems, therefore, represents an expanding front of environmental management in terminals. In practice, these initiatives allow water to be used more than once, reduce the need for new captures, and make operations less dependent on conventional supply.
