São Paulo towns rank top in national sanitation as state waste‑management audit reveals widespread violations

The municipalities of Botucatu, São Manuel and Areiópolis in the Médio Tietê region were placed in the “rumo à universalização” category of the 2026 Universalisation of Sanitation Ranking compiled by the Brazilian Association of Sanitary Engineering and Environmental (ABES). Out of 2,558 municipalities surveyed, only 94 achieved the required 489‑point threshold, marking the three towns as among the most advanced in the country for water supply, sewage collection and treatment.

State investment in water and sewage infrastructure surged to R$ 15.2 billion in 2025, a 120 % increase from the previous year, with a R$ 70 billion program planned through 2029. In the Médio Tietê area, a R$ 424 million package, including a R$ 200 million project in Botucatu, funds new wells, pumping stations and network extensions.

A separate surprise inspection by the São Paulo State Court of Auditors (TCE‑SP) examined 203 municipalities and found that 83.33 % of municipal landfills had irregularities. In Marília and neighboring cities—Pompeia, Ourinhos and Palmital—authorities documented illegal dumping, lack of valid environmental licences, structural deficiencies and, in Pompeia, a truck accident at a transfer site. TCE‑SP President Cristiana de Castro Moraes warned that these deficiencies pose serious public‑health risks. The audit’s findings will be compiled into a technical report for municipal officials and for consideration in the state’s annual accounts review.