Brazil’s sanitation problem is also classist

Brazil enjoys presenting itself as a pro-ecology country. It’s true that our energy matrix consists of cleaner sources than those of more developed countries, which is a point of national pride. However, sewage services remain a luxury in Latin America’s biggest country, being accessible to just 50% of our population – and 35 million Brazilians have no access to treated water supplies. Period. That puts Brazil behind far poorer countries, such as Peru, Bolivia, and even Venezuela.

The map of water supply and public sanitation in Brazil reflects the country’s extreme inequality. Coverage of these services is highly concentrated in the most affluent areas:

And the gap tends to grow increasingly wider....