A canal bridge within a larger system
INEA identifies Aqueduto do Catonho as one visible section of an approximately 34-kilometre water conveyance system linked to the Guandu River. The structure crosses Estrada do Catonho in Jardim Sulacap and was inaugurated in 1965. Institutional materials also refer to the wider system as Adutora Veiga Britto or Túnel Lacerda; those names do not imply visitor access.
The project began in 1951 amid water shortages and efforts to find new supply sources. Reservatório dos Macacos began operating in 1958; the second aqueduct was inaugurated in 1966. The proximity of these dates helps explain why Catonho belongs to a period of expansion in Rio’s water infrastructure.
Do not confuse it with Aqueduto do Piraquara
Different structures in the West Zone share the word “aqueduct.” Catonho is a visible part of the Guandu metropolitan system. Aqueduto do Piraquara and Trecho do Governador are in Núcleo Piraquara and have a different recreational history. They are not interchangeable, and access conditions for one do not apply to the other.
Can you visit?
INEA mentions Aqueduto do Catonho in its historical note, and the Transcarioca Trail identifies it as the endpoint of Section 09. This guide places it in the history of water infrastructure and the mountain route.
Before planning a visit, ask INEA directly which areas are accessible today and from where the structure may be viewed. If there is no current guidance, learn about its history through official sources and authorized park areas.
Map and hours
What to combine it with
I would combine them through research, not as a sequence of physical visits: first learn about the Guandu system, then visit a structure open for recreation in Núcleo Piraquara. If you want to hike in the forest, check conditions for Section 09 separately; the full section is rated demanding in the technical guide, and some details need clarification.
Sources
INEA · Catonho and system history → · Transcarioca · Section 09 →
