31% of Brazilian Homes Still Lack Sewage Collection

According to Brazil’s 2004 Household Survey (Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de DomicÀ­lios 2004) (PNAD-2004), which was conducted by the Brazilian government statistical bureau (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e EstatÀ­stica) (IBGE), 31% of Brazilian homes are not connected to sewage disposal networks.

The survey reports that from 2003 to 2004, the availability of sewage disposal networks rose 3.5% in the country.

However, there have been improvements in garbage collection and electricity. In 1999, 20% of Brazilian homes did not have garbage collection; that has now fallen to 14.1%.

And while 5.2% of the population did not have electricity in 1999, today only 2.6% do not have it.

The federal government will release 4.084 billion reais (a little less than US$ 2 billion) for basic sanitation in states and municipalities announced President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, earlier this month.

"We have to understand that basic sanitation is not spending, it is an investment. It translates into better quality of life and better health. It also creates jobs. And this is something that we have to do now or they are going to be talking about basic sanitation 50 years from now," said the President.

Lula said large urban centers were the target of this new effort by the government and would be getting most of the money. "We have people living really close together in subhuman conditions without sewage disposal or garbage collection and we have to reach out to them," said Lula.

Pointing out that every 1 real invested in basic sanitation means a saving of 4 reais in healthcare, the President said there has to be a commitment to make consistent investments in sanitation.

Lula said that one of the problems with basic sanitation was that most of it was underground pipeline. "Basic sanitation is not an easy way to get political mileage. It is hard to name an underground pipeline after a politician. So politicians shy away from this kind of infrastructure," he said.

ABr

Tags:

You May Also Like

US$ 32 Billion Surplus Makes Brazil Comfortable

The export growth has made Brazil stronger with regard to foreign crises. The US$ ...

Interest Rate Cuts Energize Brazilian Market

Latin American markets hit record levels, with the Brazilian index leading the charge, as ...

Brazilian Pet Food Maker Gets a Taste of Foreign Market

It all started with an Internet search in Egypt for a Brazilian supplier of ...

Amnesty Warns: ‘Blood Bath Imminent in Rio’s Favelas’

Unless the authorities in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, take immediate steps to restore order ...

Japan and China Come to Brazil for East Meets Latin America Encounter

Foreign ministers and envoys from 33 Latin America and East Asian countries on Wednesday ...

Brazil’s New Aviation Chief Hits Ground Running While Old One Laments

Brazil's new defense minister and civil aviation chief is so pressed to show results ...

Brazil: From Now On All Eyes Will Be on Dilma Rousseff, Lula’s Pick to Succeed Him

This weekend, the Great Transformation project takes off when the Brazilian ruling party of ...

Letters

The whole feijoada I believe that any grown-up citizen should love his/her country with ...

Gulf Air Considering Brazil’s Embraer for Its Fleet Expansion

The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer announced it has signed a preliminary agreement with Gulf ...

Meet the Inventor of Brazil

Brazilianness was commonly understood to mean that collection of qualities which defined the nation, ...