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Abstract The 1988 Brazilian Federal Constitution granted a leading role in groundwater governance to the states and the Federal District. However, there are no studies evaluating how these entities conducted this process from a national public policy perspective. The present article aims to identify national legal obligations related to groundwater governance and develop a tool to determine whether the states have appropriately implemented them. Our methodology includes document analysis and interviews. The federal legislation provided standard mechanisms for state management, allowing for structuring a Groundwater Governance Assessment System (SAGAS: the acronym in Portuguese) that comprises 48 primary and 25 secondary indicators. SAGAS is a methodological effort to create a legal indicator to generate comparable and systematized data on states' environment of governance to help identify management weaknesses.

International audience ; Due to an increasing demographic pressure, the Metropolitan Region of Recife (RMR, the fifth largest metropolitan area in Brazil), went through remarkable water and land use changes over the last decades. These evolutions gave rise to numerous environmental consequences, such as a dramatic decline of the piezometric levels, groundwater salinization and contamination. This degradation of natural resources is linked to the increase of water demand, punctually amplified by drought periods which induced the construction of thousands of private wells, hindering global political solutions. The RMR thus appears as a typical "hot spot" illustrating the problems of emerging countries such as urbanization, unequal distribution of wealth, limited effects of political decisions, rapid industrial and touristic development. All these factors induce high pressures on water resources both on quantity and quality in the context of global social and environmental changes. Under these conditions, the COQUEIRAL research project proposes an interdisciplinary research program aiming to study the human impact on coastal overexploited aquifers. The project is structured in three principal converging axes: (1) the analysis of pressures on the groundwater resources and their societal and structural reasons, (2) the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality and quantity degradation, focusing on the physical and chemical processes as vectors of the reaction of the system to the external pressures and (3) the assessment of the regional impact of global changes on water resources. This project approaches the degradation of the groundwater resources by questioning the specific conditions of urbanization and water administration in Recife at multiple levels: the macro-sociological level with the political and institutional stake of water management; the meso-sociological level with the water's collective stakes and their perceptions; and the micro-sociological level, meaning the representations, ...

International audience ; Due to an increasing demographic pressure, the Metropolitan Region of Recife (RMR, the fifth largest metropolitan area in Brazil), went through remarkable water and land use changes over the last decades. These evolutions gave rise to numerous environmental consequences, such as a dramatic decline of the piezometric levels, groundwater salinization and contamination. This degradation of natural resources is linked to the increase of water demand, punctually amplified by drought periods which induced the construction of thousands of private wells, hindering global political solutions. The RMR thus appears as a typical "hot spot" illustrating the problems of emerging countries such as urbanization, unequal distribution of wealth, limited effects of political decisions, rapid industrial and touristic development. All these factors induce high pressures on water resources both on quantity and quality in the context of global social and environmental changes. Under these conditions, the COQUEIRAL research project proposes an interdisciplinary research program aiming to study the human impact on coastal overexploited aquifers. The project is structured in three principal converging axes: (1) the analysis of pressures on the groundwater resources and their societal and structural reasons, (2) the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality and quantity degradation, focusing on the physical and chemical processes as vectors of the reaction of the system to the external pressures and (3) the assessment of the regional impact of global changes on water resources. This project approaches the degradation of the groundwater resources by questioning the specific conditions of urbanization and water administration in Recife at multiple levels: the macro-sociological level with the political and institutional stake of water management; the meso-sociological level with the water's collective stakes and their perceptions; and the micro-sociological level, meaning the representations, ...

International audience ; Due to an increasing demographic pressure, the Metropolitan Region of Recife (RMR, the fifth largest metropolitan area in Brazil), went through remarkable water and land use changes over the last decades. These evolutions gave rise to numerous environmental consequences, such as a dramatic decline of the piezometric levels, groundwater salinization and contamination. This degradation of natural resources is linked to the increase of water demand, punctually amplified by drought periods which induced the construction of thousands of private wells, hindering global political solutions. The RMR thus appears as a typical "hot spot" illustrating the problems of emerging countries such as urbanization, unequal distribution of wealth, limited effects of political decisions, rapid industrial and touristic development. All these factors induce high pressures on water resources both on quantity and quality in the context of global social and environmental changes. Under these conditions, the COQUEIRAL research project proposes an interdisciplinary research program aiming to study the human impact on coastal overexploited aquifers. The project is structured in three principal converging axes: (1) the analysis of pressures on the groundwater resources and their societal and structural reasons, (2) the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality and quantity degradation, focusing on the physical and chemical processes as vectors of the reaction of the system to the external pressures and (3) the assessment of the regional impact of global changes on water resources. This project approaches the degradation of the groundwater resources by questioning the specific conditions of urbanization and water administration in Recife at multiple levels: the macro-sociological level with the political and institutional stake of water management; the meso-sociological level with the water's collective stakes and their perceptions; and the micro-sociological level, meaning the representations, ...

International audience ; The Recife Metropolitan Region is a hot spot illustrating the problems of southern countries on water issues where water resources are threatened both for quantity and quality in the context of global changes. Based on a transdisciplinary approach, the purpose of the study was to assess the impact of human activities on coastal aquifers, through the analysis of pressure on groundwater resources and their social and structural reasons, the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality degradation, and the evaluation of the impacts of global changes on water resources at the regional level. The methodology was based on a multi-isotopic fingerprinting of groundwater and surface water, on gas analyses, and on sociological and ethnographic investigations including ethno-photography to characterize the daily life of the Recife inhabitants facing the lack of water or its poor quality. The results revisit the aquifer system functioning. In the deep aquifers, the groundwater displays a residence time over 10 000 y with a residual salinity inherited from the Pleistocene marine transgressions. Their recharge is very limited resulting in large water level decrease. Inversed flow directions due to overexploitation favour leakage from the surficial contaminated aquifers. The access to water and its social perception vary according to the social environment and to the residence location of individuals. Access to water is more a political problem than a technical one. The public authorities tend to deny the difficulties of poor people, especially in times of drought. The discredit of the water and sanitation public actors, and political and institutional rivalries and fragmentation are obstacles to technical solutions implementation. Integrated water management is urgently needed knowing that local climatic scenarios predict a reduction of rainfall volume of 20% together with a sea level increase of 18-59 cm by 2100.

International audience ; The Recife Metropolitan Region is a hot spot illustrating the problems of southern countries on water issues where water resources are threatened both for quantity and quality in the context of global changes. Based on a transdisciplinary approach, the purpose of the study was to assess the impact of human activities on coastal aquifers, through the analysis of pressure on groundwater resources and their social and structural reasons, the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality degradation, and the evaluation of the impacts of global changes on water resources at the regional level. The methodology was based on a multi-isotopic fingerprinting of groundwater and surface water, on gas analyses, and on sociological and ethnographic investigations including ethno-photography to characterize the daily life of the Recife inhabitants facing the lack of water or its poor quality. The results revisit the aquifer system functioning. In the deep aquifers, the groundwater displays a residence time over 10 000 y with a residual salinity inherited from the Pleistocene marine transgressions. Their recharge is very limited resulting in large water level decrease. Inversed flow directions due to overexploitation favour leakage from the surficial contaminated aquifers. The access to water and its social perception vary according to the social environment and to the residence location of individuals. Access to water is more a political problem than a technical one. The public authorities tend to deny the difficulties of poor people, especially in times of drought. The discredit of the water and sanitation public actors, and political and institutional rivalries and fragmentation are obstacles to technical solutions implementation. Integrated water management is urgently needed knowing that local climatic scenarios predict a reduction of rainfall volume of 20% together with a sea level increase of 18-59 cm by 2100.

International audience ; The Recife Metropolitan Region is a hot spot illustrating the problems of southern countries on water issues where water resources are threatened both for quantity and quality in the context of global changes. Based on a transdisciplinary approach, the purpose of the study was to assess the impact of human activities on coastal aquifers, through the analysis of pressure on groundwater resources and their social and structural reasons, the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality degradation, and the evaluation of the impacts of global changes on water resources at the regional level. The methodology was based on a multi-isotopic fingerprinting of groundwater and surface water, on gas analyses, and on sociological and ethnographic investigations including ethno-photography to characterize the daily life of the Recife inhabitants facing the lack of water or its poor quality. The results revisit the aquifer system functioning. In the deep aquifers, the groundwater displays a residence time over 10 000 y with a residual salinity inherited from the Pleistocene marine transgressions. Their recharge is very limited resulting in large water level decrease. Inversed flow directions due to overexploitation favour leakage from the surficial contaminated aquifers. The access to water and its social perception vary according to the social environment and to the residence location of individuals. Access to water is more a political problem than a technical one. The public authorities tend to deny the difficulties of poor people, especially in times of drought. The discredit of the water and sanitation public actors, and political and institutional rivalries and fragmentation are obstacles to technical solutions implementation. Integrated water management is urgently needed knowing that local climatic scenarios predict a reduction of rainfall volume of 20% together with a sea level increase of 18-59 cm by 2100.

International audience ; The Recife Metropolitan Region is a hot spot illustrating the problems of southern countries on water issues where water resources are threatened both for quantity and quality in the context of global changes. Based on a transdisciplinary approach, the purpose of the study was to assess the impact of human activities on coastal aquifers, through the analysis of pressure on groundwater resources and their social and structural reasons, the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality degradation, and the evaluation of the impacts of global changes on water resources at the regional level. The methodology was based on a multi-isotopic fingerprinting of groundwater and surface water, on gas analyses, and on sociological and ethnographic investigations including ethno-photography to characterize the daily life of the Recife inhabitants facing the lack of water or its poor quality. The results revisit the aquifer system functioning. In the deep aquifers, the groundwater displays a residence time over 10 000 y with a residual salinity inherited from the Pleistocene marine transgressions. Their recharge is very limited resulting in large water level decrease. Inversed flow directions due to overexploitation favour leakage from the surficial contaminated aquifers. The access to water and its social perception vary according to the social environment and to the residence location of individuals. Access to water is more a political problem than a technical one. The public authorities tend to deny the difficulties of poor people, especially in times of drought. The discredit of the water and sanitation public actors, and political and institutional rivalries and fragmentation are obstacles to technical solutions implementation. Integrated water management is urgently needed knowing that local climatic scenarios predict a reduction of rainfall volume of 20% together with a sea level increase of 18-59 cm by 2100.

International audience ; The Recife Metropolitan Region is a hot spot illustrating the problems of southern countries on water issues where water resources are threatened both for quantity and quality in the context of global changes. Based on a transdisciplinary approach, the purpose of the study was to assess the impact of human activities on coastal aquifers, through the analysis of pressure on groundwater resources and their social and structural reasons, the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality degradation, and the evaluation of the impacts of global changes on water resources at the regional level. The methodology was based on a multi-isotopic fingerprinting of groundwater and surface water, on gas analyses, and on sociological and ethnographic investigations including ethno-photography to characterize the daily life of the Recife inhabitants facing the lack of water or its poor quality. The results revisit the aquifer system functioning. In the deep aquifers, the groundwater displays a residence time over 10 000 y with a residual salinity inherited from the Pleistocene marine transgressions. Their recharge is very limited resulting in large water level decrease. Inversed flow directions due to overexploitation favour leakage from the surficial contaminated aquifers. The access to water and its social perception vary according to the social environment and to the residence location of individuals. Access to water is more a political problem than a technical one. The public authorities tend to deny the difficulties of poor people, especially in times of drought. The discredit of the water and sanitation public actors, and political and institutional rivalries and fragmentation are obstacles to technical solutions implementation. Integrated water management is urgently needed knowing that local climatic scenarios predict a reduction of rainfall volume of 20% together with a sea level increase of 18-59 cm by 2100.

International audience ; The Recife Metropolitan Region is a hot spot illustrating the problems of southern countries on water issues where water resources are threatened both for quantity and quality in the context of global changes. Based on a transdisciplinary approach, the purpose of the study was to assess the impact of human activities on coastal aquifers, through the analysis of pressure on groundwater resources and their social and structural reasons, the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality degradation, and the evaluation of the impacts of global changes on water resources at the regional level. The methodology was based on a multi-isotopic fingerprinting of groundwater and surface water, on gas analyses, and on sociological and ethnographic investigations including ethno-photography to characterize the daily life of the Recife inhabitants facing the lack of water or its poor quality. The results revisit the aquifer system functioning. In the deep aquifers, the groundwater displays a residence time over 10 000 y with a residual salinity inherited from the Pleistocene marine transgressions. Their recharge is very limited resulting in large water level decrease. Inversed flow directions due to overexploitation favour leakage from the surficial contaminated aquifers. The access to water and its social perception vary according to the social environment and to the residence location of individuals. Access to water is more a political problem than a technical one. The public authorities tend to deny the difficulties of poor people, especially in times of drought. The discredit of the water and sanitation public actors, and political and institutional rivalries and fragmentation are obstacles to technical solutions implementation. Integrated water management is urgently needed knowing that local climatic scenarios predict a reduction of rainfall volume of 20% together with a sea level increase of 18-59 cm by 2100.

International audience ; The Recife Metropolitan Region is a hot spot illustrating the problems of southern countries on water issues where water resources are threatened both for quantity and quality in the context of global changes. Based on a transdisciplinary approach, the purpose of the study was to assess the impact of human activities on coastal aquifers, through the analysis of pressure on groundwater resources and their social and structural reasons, the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality degradation, and the evaluation of the impacts of global changes on water resources at the regional level. The methodology was based on a multi-isotopic fingerprinting of groundwater and surface water, on gas analyses, and on sociological and ethnographic investigations including ethno-photography to characterize the daily life of the Recife inhabitants facing the lack of water or its poor quality. The results revisit the aquifer system functioning. In the deep aquifers, the groundwater displays a residence time over 10 000 y with a residual salinity inherited from the Pleistocene marine transgressions. Their recharge is very limited resulting in large water level decrease. Inversed flow directions due to overexploitation favour leakage from the surficial contaminated aquifers. The access to water and its social perception vary according to the social environment and to the residence location of individuals. Access to water is more a political problem than a technical one. The public authorities tend to deny the difficulties of poor people, especially in times of drought. The discredit of the water and sanitation public actors, and political and institutional rivalries and fragmentation are obstacles to technical solutions implementation. Integrated water management is urgently needed knowing that local climatic scenarios predict a reduction of rainfall volume of 20% together with a sea level increase of 18-59 cm by 2100.

International audience ; The Recife Metropolitan Region is a hot spot illustrating the problems of southern countries on water issues where water resources are threatened both for quantity and quality in the context of global changes. Based on a transdisciplinary approach, the purpose of the study was to assess the impact of human activities on coastal aquifers, through the analysis of pressure on groundwater resources and their social and structural reasons, the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality degradation, and the evaluation of the impacts of global changes on water resources at the regional level. The methodology was based on a multi-isotopic fingerprinting of groundwater and surface water, on gas analyses, and on sociological and ethnographic investigations including ethno-photography to characterize the daily life of the Recife inhabitants facing the lack of water or its poor quality. The results revisit the aquifer system functioning. In the deep aquifers, the groundwater displays a residence time over 10 000 y with a residual salinity inherited from the Pleistocene marine transgressions. Their recharge is very limited resulting in large water level decrease. Inversed flow directions due to overexploitation favour leakage from the surficial contaminated aquifers. The access to water and its social perception vary according to the social environment and to the residence location of individuals. Access to water is more a political problem than a technical one. The public authorities tend to deny the difficulties of poor people, especially in times of drought. The discredit of the water and sanitation public actors, and political and institutional rivalries and fragmentation are obstacles to technical solutions implementation. Integrated water management is urgently needed knowing that local climatic scenarios predict a reduction of rainfall volume of 20% together with a sea level increase of 18-59 cm by 2100.

International audience ; The Recife Metropolitan Region is a hot spot illustrating the problems of southern countries on water issues where water resources are threatened both for quantity and quality in the context of global changes. Based on a transdisciplinary approach, the purpose of the study was to assess the impact of human activities on coastal aquifers, through the analysis of pressure on groundwater resources and their social and structural reasons, the identification of sources and mechanisms of groundwater quality degradation, and the evaluation of the impacts of global changes on water resources at the regional level. The methodology was based on a multi-isotopic fingerprinting of groundwater and surface water, on gas analyses, and on sociological and ethnographic investigations including ethno-photography to characterize the daily life of the Recife inhabitants facing the lack of water or its poor quality. The results revisit the aquifer system functioning. In the deep aquifers, the groundwater displays a residence time over 10 000 y with a residual salinity inherited from the Pleistocene marine transgressions. Their recharge is very limited resulting in large water level decrease. Inversed flow directions due to overexploitation favour leakage from the surficial contaminated aquifers. The access to water and its social perception vary according to the social environment and to the residence location of individuals. Access to water is more a political problem than a technical one. The public authorities tend to deny the difficulties of poor people, especially in times of drought. The discredit of the water and sanitation public actors, and political and institutional rivalries and fragmentation are obstacles to technical solutions implementation. Integrated water management is urgently needed knowing that local climatic scenarios predict a reduction of rainfall volume of 20% together with a sea level increase of 18-59 cm by 2100.