Gestão dos serviços de saneamento básico no município de Guarani/MG: uma análise de desempenho dos sistemas de abastecimento de água e de esgotamento sanitário

Abstract

Universal access to basic sanitation is a major public policy challenge in Brazil - a country that, despite legislative progress in recent decades, still grapples with deep regional inequalities and persistent deficits in water supply and sewage services. The New Sanitation Legal Framework established ambitious targets for 2033, yet achieving true universal coverage faces concrete obstacles, particularly in small municipalities where planning and investment capacities are limited. This study analyzes the performance of water supply and sewage systems in Guarani, Minas Gerais - managed by the Autonomous Water and Sewage Service (SAEG) - in light of the New Legal Framework’s guidelines and the principles of efficiency, effectiveness, and universality. Employing a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative), the research integrated data from the National Basic Sanitation Information System (SINISA) with insights from key stakeholders, including representatives from the executive and legislative branches and the SAEG team. The results reveal a picture of contrasts: while the urban area enjoys universal coverage via water and sewage networks and recognized water quality, the total absence of sewage treatment, the exclusion of rural areas, the lack of water metering, high rates of payment delinquency, and reliance on municipal subsidies create an unsustainable scenario that keeps the municipality far from achieving universal coverage goals. The study demonstrates that sanitation issues in Guarani stem not only from a lack of resources but also from institutional weaknesses, a lack of long-term planning, low social participation, and cultural neglect regarding the human right to sanitation. Finally, recommendations are presented to address these challenges - focusing on enhancing transparency and social participation, as well as securing funding - as essential steps for Guarani to advance toward universal service coverage and guarantee the right to sanitation for present and future generations.