Unclogging Brazil’s water and sanitation system

Overview

Despite the significant advances in basic services access in Brazil over the past decade, sewage treatment remains a luxury available to less than 10 per cent of households. Access to treated water is more widespread at 80 per cent of the population, but recent expansion has been limited. Brazil needs to invest roughly R$10 billion (US$6 billion) annually over the next 20 years to expand water and sewage services to all homes. Public sector companies, which dominate the sector, lack the...