Resources / Human Development Report 2006 Occasional Paper. Access to water supply and sanitation in Brazil.

Summary

Although important advances in water supply and sanitation have been made in Brazil, there remains a significant deficit to be addressed.

Namely, that a more satisfactory framework, including progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), will be produced only when the sector’s public policy dimensions, and its need for effective administrative tools, are seriously taken into consideration. Significantly, the federal government’s bill for Law no. 5.296 and the potential it has to supply what the sector has historically lacked: the setting of clear guidelines for service provision, would lead to universality and improvements in the quality of service for the population.

So how well are the current approaches and operatives performing? All are assessed to build a clear picture of the current state of play.

Starting with a fascinating history of water supply and sanitation approaches and experimentations in Brazil that identify evolutionary milestones which still present obstacles to current challenges, this publication builds to examine possible scenarios for the future, based on the current legal and politico-institutional landscape.