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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. [1] [2]
In urban areas, where about 76% of Pernambuco’s 8.4 million inhabitants live, access to house connections for water supply is reported at around 91% and access to sewerage at about 49%. [3] Concerning service quality, rationing is a constant reality in roughly 85% of the municipalities, including the Recife Metropolitan Region, due to limited water resources, dry season variability, and frequent drought conditions. [4]
The State Secretariat of Water Resources (SRH) is responsible for both water resources management and for water supply and sanitation policy. The State Water Company (COMPESA) provides most services in the state, operating in approximately 170 municipalities for water supply and 20 municipalities for sewerage, out of 189 in Pernambuco. [5] The remaining municipalities are served by local or municipal public providers. COMPESA operates under concession contracts with municipalities and is regulated by the state-level multi-sector regulatory agency, ARPE. [6]
Recent programs such as the World Bank’s *Pernambuco Sustainable Water Project* and the *Pernambuco Rural Water and Sanitation Project (PROSAR)* have aimed to expand service access and improve reliability, particularly in rural and drought-prone areas. [7] [8]
The city of Recife has pioneered condominial sewers in Brazil, a cost-effective model later adopted in other states and nationally recognized for improving sanitation access in dense, low-income urban areas. [9]
