Brazil has more freshwater than any other country, but this resource is dwindling because of climate change, rising consumption and inadequate treatment. Brazil’s rivers are increasingly polluted due to a lack of proper land use planning. Agriculture and urbanization are the main culprits, closely followed by mining. Although mining occupies a small percentage of Brazil’s territory, it has a huge impact on water quality, according to a literature review by a group of researchers published in Journal of Environmental Management.