This study evaluated the impacts of the Program of Environmental Rehabilitation and Urbanization of the Guarapiranga reservoir area, undertaken within the Project Cities and Health in partnership among World Health Organization, Kobe Centre in Japan, Faculdade de Saúde Pública of University of São Paulo and Prefeitura Municipal de São Paulo. For this evaluation, two shanty towns that underwent rehabilitation process were chosen: Jardim Souza, with 552 houses and area of 6,011.86 m² and Jardim Arnaldo with 542 houses and area of 28,210.00 m . Both are located at the Municipality of São Paulo, in Jardim Ângela district, at the left bank of Guarapiranga reservoir in the basin of Guavirituba stream. They are very close and their social, economic and environmental contexts are similar. The Guavirituba basin had been identified in previous studies as responsible for the largest pollution loads to the reservoir, thus it received priority in the sanitary actions. Jardim Souza was rehabilitated in 1998, but Jardim Arnaldo had not been through the rehabilitation process, during the evaluation. The comparison between the two nuclei, as examples of the previous and the post-use to the program's activities, was the object of this article. The outcomes of the survey show that the quality of life of residents has improved, but failed to improve stream or reservoir water quality. The recommendations highlight the need for systems and services to maintain the work of the program, and for capacity building among residents to enhance their participation.
Shanty- town; Rehabilitation; Guarapiranga; São Paulo
