Resumo

Law No. 11,445/2007 defines sanitation as water supply, sewage, urban cleaning, solid waste management, and drainage services. The new framework (Law No. 14,026/2020) aims to ensure universal access. In 2016, over 100 million Brazilians lacked sewage and 30 million lacked drinking water (SNIS). In Pará, Belém ranked 93rd in the 2024 Trata Brasil Index, reflecting critical challenges. This study analyzes sanitation indicators (2017–2021) in Santarém, Belém, Altamira, and Marabá.

Despite regulatory advances such as Law No. 14,026/2020, universal access to sanitation remains a challenge in Pará. What are the current conditions of water, sewage, and solid waste services in Belém, Santarém, Altamira, and Marabá, and how do SNIS indicators reveal inequalities? This study aims to analyze sanitation services from 2017 to 2021 in these municipalities, identifying progress, gaps, and challenges to achieving universalization.

Basic sanitation, defined by Law No. 11,445/2007, includes water supply, sewage, solid waste management, and stormwater drainage. The New Sanitation Framework (Law No. 14,026/2020) aims to ensure universal access to these services, yet regional inequalities persist. Data from SNIS provide key indicators to evaluate population access, highlighting progress and challenges, especially in Pará, where service coverage remains limited.

This study is explanatory and quantitative, using secondary data from the National Sanitation Information System (SNIS) for the period 2017–2021. Four municipalities representing the most populous cities in distinct mesoregions of Pará (Belém, Santarém, Marabá, and Altamira) were selected. Indicators related to water supply and sewage were analyzed to identify disparities and trends, enabling the evaluation of service provision and regional inequalities.

The analysis revealed major disparities in sanitation services among Pará’s municipalities. None achieved the national or regional averages for water supply, falling short of Plansab goals. In sewage, Altamira reached high levels, while Marabá lagged. Solid waste collection remained traditional, with partial selectivity in larger cities. Drainage was fragile, marked by insufficient capacity. Persistent inequalities highlight the urgent need for investments and effective policies.

The study highlights deep inequalities in sanitation across Pará’s main municipalities. Limited water supply, precarious sewage services, fragile drainage, and traditional waste management reflect structural challenges. Altamira stands out positively, while Marabá shows the weakest performance. Expanding investments, strengthening policies, and ensuring efficient management are essential to achieve universal access and promote public health, quality of life, and sustainable development.

BRASIL. Lei nº 14.026, de 15 de julho de 2020. Atualiza o marco legal do saneamento básico [...], para autorizar a União a participar de fundo com a finalidade exclusiva de financiar serviços técnicos especializados. Brasília, DF: Diário Oficial da União, 2020. Disponível em: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2019-2022/2020/lei/l14026.htm. Acesso em: 30 mar. 2023.