Brasilia - In June 2003 WWF-Brazil officially launched its campaign "Water for Life, Water for All" in Brasilia to mark World Environmental Day. A 30 metre-high banner was mounted on the TV Tower, a prominent landmark in the Brazilian capital to urge a greater commitment to conserving freshwater resources. The banner has since been displayed in other Brazilian cities. Following the launch, the gathering proceeded to the front of the Brazilian Congress where Samul Barręto, the coordinator of WWF-Brazil’s Freshwater Program presented a document to the president of the Chamber of Deputies and the president of the Senate containing proposals to change the freshwater degradation picture in Brazil. The document also suggests ways to promote freshwater access; presently, more than 40 million people nationwide do not have access to clean sources of water. The document also urged the implementation of the National Water Resource Policy and the creation of laws to assure the integrity of forests that protect and feed water springs and rivers, as defined by the Brazilian Forest Code.

A study conducted by a local organisation linked to the University of Brasilia and commissioned by WWF-Brazil, projects that Brasilia will face serious supply problems in the next ten years if nothing is done to address both water consumption and freshwater conservation. Brasilia was originally designed to support about 500,000 residents. Today the city supports a population of over 2.3 million. There is a higher demand for freshwater than the region can support, and areas essential for conservation are now being occupied and degraded by newcomers to the region.