Sanitation Ranking 2024, and what this data says about Brazil April 5, 2024

Source: Radar Ibê

Sanitation Ranking 2024, and what this data says about Brazil

The sanitation ranking is an important tool for assessing the quality of basic sanitation services in Brazil. It helps to identify the municipalities that need more investment and action to guarantee access to sanitation for all their citizens.

The Trata Brasil Institute (ITB), in partnership with GO Associados, recently released the 16th edition of the Sanitation Ranking, which assesses the quality of basic sanitation services in Brazil's 100 most populous municipalities. The Sanitation Ranking evaluates Brazilian municipalities in three main dimensions:

- Level of Service: Measures the percentage of the population that has access to basic sanitation services, such as drinking water, sewage disposal and waste collection.

- Service Improvement: Evaluates the progress made by municipalities in expanding access to basic sanitation services over time.

- Efficiency Level: Measures the efficiency of basic sanitation services, considering factors such as water losses, operating costs and the quality of the service provided.

Of the 20 municipalities that stood out in the 2024 Ranking, there is a predominance of municipalities. The Southeast (12), South (5) and Midwest (3) regions are in the best position in terms of the Total Water Service Index (ITA). With regard to the 20 worst municipalities in the 2024 Ranking, the distribution across the country's regions was greater: seven are from the North, six from the Northeast, five from the Southeast, one from the Midwest and one from the South.

Another negative finding is in relation to sewage, which continues to be a major challenge in Brazil, since in comparison with the survey carried out last year, sewage treatment saw a small increase: from 51.2% to 52.2% over the same period. The data presented in the ranking indicates that Brazil is still far from achieving the goal of universal basic sanitation for the entire population, especially in the north and northeast regions of the country.

The Legal Framework for Sanitation (Federal Law 14.026/2020) has set ambitious targets for basic sanitation in Brazil. By 2033, the country must reach 99% of the population with access to drinking water and 90% of the population with access to sewage collection and treatment. The lack of basic sanitation in Brazilian cities is a worrying issue that directly affects the population's health and quality of life. Lack of access to drinking water, sanitary sewage and adequate waste collection can aggravate the risks of preventable diseases and risks.

Lack of investment in infrastructure and poor management of public resources are factors that contribute to the degrading situation. In addition to the omission of public authorities, private companies are also responsible for the problem of basic sanitation. The concentration of the market in a few companies and the pursuit of profit above the general interest of the population have resulted in poor quality services and high tariffs.

Only with effective public policies and a major mobilization of society will we be able to overcome this serious problem that affects the health and well-being of Brazilians. We hope that this data will scare public bodies and private companies linked to basic sanitation so that in the 2025 sanitation ranking it will be possible to find more exciting data and expressive developments in relation to Brazilian basic sanitation.

Find out more at: https://tratabrasil.org.br/ranking-do-saneamento-2024/

With gratitude,

Anna Luisa Beserra

Founder and CEO of Sustainable Development & Water For All

LinkedIn: @Anna Luisa Beserra

Instagram: @ Anna Luísa Beserra