Brazil: Only 20% of gubernatorial candidates have comprehensive sanitation plans

A study by the Instituto Trata Brasil reveals that only 20% of the main candidates for governorship in the 2026 elections have comprehensive plans for the sanitation sector. While 87% of the 62 competitive candidacies analyzed mention the universalization of services, only 26% establish concrete, measurable goals to achieve these results.

The evaluation assessed four key pillars: planning and regionalization, investment, governance and regulation, and the establishment of concrete goals. Most plans were classified as transversal, addressing two or three pillars, while some were considered superficial.

This lack of structured commitment is significant given the deadlines set by the Legal Framework for Sanitation, which mandates that by 2033, 99% of the population must have access to potable water and 90% must have access to sewage collection and treatment.