Surge in Water Meter Thefts Hits Brazilian Cities, Prompting Government Action

Brazil is currently facing a significant increase in water meter thefts, with São Paulo experiencing a rise of over 30% in 2025 compared to the previous year. From January to October alone, nearly 20,000 meters were stolen in São Paulo, 4,000 more than in 2024, resulting in replacement costs escalating from R$ 5 million to R$ 7 million. The thefts have become impactful enough that residents report hearing water gush from broken pipes due to stolen devices. Thieves typically target metal meters, which they sell to clandestine scrap yards.

To combat the issue, São Paulo's water company Sabesp is replacing brass meters with plastic ones that have no resale value. The company has invested R$ 22 million to replace 86,000 meters this year and plans to install another 450,000 plastic meters in 2026, costing R$ 115 million. However, Sabesp's operations director Claudio Hermolin mentioned that these costs will ultimately be reflected in consumer bills.

This trend extends beyond São Paulo; Rio de Janeiro has also initiated meter replacements and observed thefts decrease by half but still faced R$ 2 million in losses this year. Other cities such as Brasília, Fortaleza, and Manaus similarly struggle with rising thefts, prompting residents to install chains and locks on meters for protection. The widespread theft underscores an emerging public safety and infrastructure challenge for Brazilian municipalities.