A survey of the basic sanitation sector shows that 30% of Brazilian municipalities are served by private sector operators. The increase is 466% compared to 2019, the last year before the sector’s legal framework was approved.
With the legal framework for sanitation (Law 14,026/20), the private sector gained greater prominence in water and sewage concessions. In 2019, there were 291 municipalities with management transferred to the private sector. In 2023, they rose to 876. Today, there are 1,648 municipalities that have transferred water and sewage services to private companies, which is equivalent to 29.6% of the country’s cities.
Next year, 23 new projects are planned, with investments of R$72.4 billion. Since the beginning of the milestone, 54 auctions have been held in 20 states, and investments total R$160.6 billion.
The data comes from the National Association and Union of Private Concessionaires of Public Water and Sewage Services (Abcon Sincon), an entity that brings together private sanitation operators in Brazil.
For the association, the share of participation is significant, as the sector found itself in the midst of uncertainty in the face of changes promoted by the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) through decrees. “Our results are significant, private operators are transforming the reality of sanitation but there is still a long way to go until universalization”, says the executive director of Abcon Sindcon, Christianne Dias.
Advance does not guarantee universalization desired by the sanitation framework, points out institute
According to legislation approved during the government of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), the main goal is to ensure that by 2033 all Brazilian municipalities serve 99% of the population with drinking water services and at least 90% of inhabitants with collection and treatment. of sewage.
However, according to a study by Instituto Trata Brasil, which analyzes the implementation of the sanitation legal framework, achieving the goals requires a significant increase in investments in the sector. To achieve this, it will be necessary to invest R$46.3 billion per year until 2033, more than double the R$22.5 billion invested in 2022.
Still according to the institute, at the current rate, universal sanitation will only happen in 2070, which represents a delay of 37 years in relation to the established deadline.
