Japeri and Guaratinguetá implement rural sanitation and community clean‑up projects

The municipality of Japeri in Rio de Janeiro state expanded its Sanear Guandu‑RJ project, installing biodigesters that treat household sewage decentralizedly. After completing 233 units in four rural localities, the second phase aims to add 394 more, bringing the total installed units in the town to over 679. Municipal Environment Secretary Meire Lucy emphasized, “Falar de saneamento é falar de saúde, de preservação ambiental e de qualidade de vida.”

In Guaratinguetá, São Paulo, the city government organized a community clean‑up along an eight‑kilometre stretch of the Gomeral neighbourhood. The action, coordinated by the Programa Produtor de Água Nova Geração and the local association AAG, involved residents, farmers and public servants who collected irregular waste, installed a flower bed, and placed a new waste container with posted usage guidelines.

Both initiatives illustrate local authorities’ efforts to improve basic sanitation, protect water resources and promote environmental education in rural and peri‑urban areas of Brazil.