A situação atual do saneamento ambiental em favelas brasileiras

Abstract

The universalization of basic sanitation in Brazil still faces challenges in all its dimensions - water supply, sewage disposal, drainage and rainwater management and solid waste management - especially in the peripheral areas of large urban centers. The accelerated and disorderly growth of cities has intensified the construction of precarious settlements around urban centers, since public actions and services have been more concentrated in these places. Despite the visible importance of these services for public health, a history of public policies, laws and the definition of a legal framework to achieve maximum service in these regions, the universalization of sanitation is still a challenge due to the lack of accessibility to services. The PAC (Growth Acceleration Program) in 2007 was a program of great importance for the basic sanitation sector, since more financial and structural investment was directed towards the country, but it was not enough. The aim of this study was therefore to gather data on the sanitation situation in Brazilian slums, in order to identify the current situation and the difficulties faced in universalizing these environmental services in outlying areas. The lack of planning in city management and the constant increase in irregular housing have resulted in improvised solutions, greater real estate irregularity and the inaccessibility of companies and consortia to provide sanitation services. The complexity of the challenge of providing basic sanitation in the country is aggravated by the unequal distribution of these services, predominantly affecting slum dwellers, the illiterate, the poor and other vulnerable social groups. The access deficit in these groups highlights the need for more inclusive and universal public policies. The progress made in terms of sanitation in the communities is notable in the region that already has greater access to services, showing that the other regions of the country still need attention from the public authorities.