Water supply and sanitation in Pernambuco
Encyclopedia
Water supply and sanitation in Pernambuco is characterized by high levels of access to water supply
in urban areas, but also by poor service quality (intermittent supply), inadequate access to sanitation
, and insufficient access to improved water sources
and improved sanitation
in rural areas.
In urban areas, where 76% of Pernambuco's
8.4 million inhabitants live, access to house connections for water supply is 91% and access to sewerage is 49%. Concerning service quality, rationing is a constant reality in about 85% of the municipalities, including the Recife
Metropolitan Region. This is primarily to a lack of water resources, particularly during the dry season, and frequent drought
conditions.
The State Secretariat of Water Resources (SRH) is in charge of both water resources management and water supply and sanitation policies. The State Water Company (COMPESA) is responsible for water and sanitation service provision in most of the state. COMPESA provides urban water supply and sewerage in 170 and 20 municipalities respectively, out of 189 in the State. The remaining municipalities are served by municipal public providers. COMPESA operates under concession contracts with municipalities and is regulated and supervised by the state-level multi-sector regulatory agency ARPE.
The city of Recife has pioneered condominial sewers
in Brazil.
Water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavours or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes...
in urban areas, but also by poor service quality (intermittent supply), inadequate access to sanitation
Sanitation
Sanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Hazards can be either physical, microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease. Wastes that can cause health problems are human and animal feces, solid wastes, domestic...
, and insufficient access to improved water sources
Improved water source
According to the Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply and Sanitation by the World Health Organization and UNICEF the following are considered as "improved" water sources:* household connections* public standpipes* boreholes* protected dug wells...
and improved sanitation
Improved sanitation
According to the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation by the World Health Organization and UNICEF the following are considered as "improved" sanitation:* connection to a public sewer* connection to a septic system* pour-flush latrine...
in rural areas.
In urban areas, where 76% of Pernambuco's
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
8.4 million inhabitants live, access to house connections for water supply is 91% and access to sewerage is 49%. Concerning service quality, rationing is a constant reality in about 85% of the municipalities, including the Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
Metropolitan Region. This is primarily to a lack of water resources, particularly during the dry season, and frequent drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
conditions.
The State Secretariat of Water Resources (SRH) is in charge of both water resources management and water supply and sanitation policies. The State Water Company (COMPESA) is responsible for water and sanitation service provision in most of the state. COMPESA provides urban water supply and sewerage in 170 and 20 municipalities respectively, out of 189 in the State. The remaining municipalities are served by municipal public providers. COMPESA operates under concession contracts with municipalities and is regulated and supervised by the state-level multi-sector regulatory agency ARPE.
The city of Recife has pioneered condominial sewers
Simplified sewerage
Simplified sewerage is a low-cost sewer system that collects all household wastewater in small-diameter pipes laid at fairly flat gradients. Simplified sewers are laid in the front yard or under the pavement or - if feasible - inside the back yard, rather than in the centre of the road as with...
in Brazil.